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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28728834">Business Relations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tox/pseuds/Tox'>Tox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Dysphoria, M/M, Misgendering, Penis In Vagina Sex, Rough Sex, Trans Hanamura Yosuke, Trans Male Character, Transphobia, corrective rape, deadnaming</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:08:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>44,002</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28728834</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tox/pseuds/Tox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hanamura Yosuke inadvertently threatens the relationship between his family and the Seta clan, his father forces him along to apologize in person to their boss. That's where he meets the heir to the Seta throne: Souji, a sharp-witted young man who just so happens to be Yosuke's age. </p><p>When Souji decides he'd like to play with Yosuke, things don't go as expected, and the two teenagers enter a whirlwind romance that results in harsh punishments, fractured ties, and even death. Together, can they survive the world they've created?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hanamura Yosuke &amp; Kuma | Teddie, Hanamura Yosuke/Narukami Yu, Hanamura Yosuke/Persona 4 Protagonist, Hanamura Yosuke/Seta Souji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Plaything</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Major thanks to Paris, one of my best friends, for being the Souji to my Yosuke. All Souji's dialogue and actions, as well as all allusions to yakuza/Japanese customs, are thanks to them. I couldn't do it without you babe!!!</p><p>So, surprise surprise, P4 is my main fandom and Souyo is my OTP. Couldn't guess from my existing fics, couldya? Well, let's fix that with some of the darkest shit I've written since the incest-deathfic over there.</p><p>This has... not been beta'd, I'm too excited to post it. Beware all ye who enter here.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Not many people are granted an audience with Seta Satoru. To the layperson, perhaps this is indicative of a coveted inner circle, a celebrity whom one would love to meet. In reality, to be granted an audience with Seta Satoru, one must make a grave mistake. They must cross the Seta clan. Sometimes, if they’re lucky, the issue is handled by the waka-gashira, if it’s of an insignificant nature. Seta Satoru handles larger issues. Bigger mistakes.</p><p>That is why Hanamura Shigeru is here today. He’s made quite a big mistake.</p><p>Yet at his side, as he approaches the Seta compound, is a lithe teenager, an outsider to such issues. Their slim, long legs are tucked into tight jeans, with a baggy sweater over top and a pair of headphones around the neck. Their hair is a fiery orange, clearly dyed. They call attention to themselves. So why has Shigeru brought them today?</p><p>The elder Hanamura’s expression is fear and rage all at once, while the younger is aggravated, distant. They are both allowed into the complex, ushered into the meeting chamber: a lavish room, decorated not with care but with a need to show superiority. Hanamura Shigeru coaxes himself into a stoic expression as they kneel in seiza before the place where Seta Satoru is.</p><p>There is <em>no</em> expression on Seta’s face. He sits, not in a suit but in yukata and haori, in neat and stiff seiza, seemingly unaffected by what is going on around him. Off a ways sits a wife, a pretty woman with grey hair not unlike her husband’s. Next to her is the son, the heir to the Seta throne. He is also in yukata, and as the Hanamuras enter, he leaves his mother’s side to sit in seiza by his father.</p><p>Together, they look at the Hanamuras with the same strange pale eyes, the same quiet expressions of expectation. This is an heir to be worthy of, Satoru seems to say of his son without a word. This is how a son is meant to behave. Obedient, neat, orderly: an image of the father in the son as a clear promise to maintain the father's name and dignity for another generation to come.</p><p>If only they knew.</p><p>Satoru nods. Get on with it then.</p><p>Shigeru is quick to bow, forehead to the ground, and he reaches a hand out to drag his child into the same. "Seta-sama," he begins, "I come before you today to beg forgiveness. This... is my daughter, Hanamura Youko. She is also here to beg your forgiveness."</p><p>There is no real response from the Setas, though there is a flicker of movement in the younger’s eyes. He looks, quite pointedly, at Youko, but there is nothing upon his face to indicate anything other than acknowledgement of her existence.</p><p>With no clear indication to continue or cease, Shigeru turns his head, just slightly, to give his daughter a wide-eyed look of pure fury. So Youko speaks first.</p><p>Pressing her forehead further against the ground, Youko recites what she has been told: "A thousand apologies, Seta-sama. My ignorance has cost both you and my father. I humbly beg for your forgiveness, that you may continue to work with my family."</p><p>The younger Seta’s eyes don’t waver until his father looks at him out of the corner of his eye, and even then, he continues to stare for a long moment before leaning towards Satoru, a hand raised over his mouth, to whisper, far too light for either of the Hanamuras to hear.</p><p>There is silence, and then Satoru speaks.</p><p>"The children will leave us," he says in a voice that is much harsher than his elegance suggests; his voice permits absolutely no argument. "And we will discuss how this situation came to be."</p><p>The son nods, a light bow to his father and none at all to either Hanamura, before slipping up onto his feet, some inherent grace of having done this a thousand times. He moves to the side of the room, pushing open a sliding door, black lacquer and ornately painted wood, and turns his head to face the younger Hanamura, his expression unreadable.</p><p>"Hanamura-kun," the son says, and here is the gentleness that Satoru lacks. It is an invitation, as much as any order can be an invitation to obey.</p><p>Youko looks up, a little surprised. Without looking at her father, she brings herself to her feet, none of the grace of the Seta boy in her movements. She walks, obedient, to the door, but does not bow or otherwise show respect as she passes through. Her father stares at her back as she goes.</p><p>Hanamura Youko hates the yakuza. She hates the thumb under which her family lies, thanks to her father’s greed. She hates working for Junes, under the Seta clan’s thumb in this town. She hates it all almost as much as she hates being called ‘Youko’.</p><p>The son looks at her, that same blank expression, and without a word steps down the hall. He's only in tabi socks, so his footsteps are silent, his walk graceful as he leads them past the framed calligraphy hanging on the paneled walls. At the end of the long hall, he opens another door, another gesture for Youko to follow him through.</p><p>Once that door is closed, he pauses there. And then he sighs, and his entire demeanor changes. His shoulders relax, and he runs a hand through his hair, a little pained expression as he rubs at one shoulder.</p><p>"They'll be at it for a few hours," he says, his voice gentle. "Are you hungry?"</p><p>Youko stares.</p><p>...Seta’s cute, all things considered, a fact that makes her cheeks burn and her gaze avert, brows furrowing. Anger is her natural response to anything that makes her question her, admittedly already quite confusing, sexuality.</p><p>Compounded, of course, by the fact that she’s not a <em>she</em> at all.</p><p>"Yeah. No breakfast this morning," says Youko, voice forcibly dragged down pitch by pitch, away from the soft gentleness of the ‘apology’ to Seta-sama.</p><p>It’s about then that the Seta boy seems to catch on, though Youko can’t tell, not yet.</p><p>Seta waves for <em>him </em>to follow. From here, he leads them down another hall, through another doorway. Here must be the actual living quarters, because the tatami gives way to hardwood floors, the panels give way to simple yet elegantly painted walls. There are no decorations here otherwise.</p><p>A servant comes out, dressed in a short dress with an apron, and the son waves her away without a word. She bows to them both, until they are gone down the hall.</p><p>The kitchen opens up at the end of the hall, wide with dark wood fixtures and steel everywhere else, almost unreal for how clean and new everything looks. The son goes to the fridge, gesturing to the small table along the side: another order, for Youko to sit.</p><p>"Oh, there's sandwiches," he says, before bringing a stacked plate of simple tonkatsu-on-bread sandwiches, and a pitcher of juice back to the table. He fetches plates and cups, and waves the fussing maid in the doorway to leave, and sits, taking a sandwich for himself, eating with one hand while he pours juice for both of them with the other.</p><p>Like this is so obscenely, insanely normal.</p><p>"Souji," he says through a bite of sandwich.</p><p>There’s a pause wherein Youko seems to take that in, along with everything else. Here he is, a stranger, in the house of the yakuza, being treated like... a friend? He cautiously takes a sandwich, a little nibble. They don’t sell bread like this at Junes, he realizes quickly. How angry would his father be, to know their partnership doesn’t gain him customers in the Seta clan?</p><p>"...Yosuke," he replies, after a moment. His chosen name, using the same start as his given one, <em>Yo.</em> Except he doesn’t write it like <em>ocean</em>; he writes it like <em>man,</em> manly-man. His little defiance. He takes a proper bite of his sandwich, realizing he’s actually quite hungry.</p><p>Souji hums, this being a confirmation of what he had suspected. It was a knife's question, an offer made; if Yosuke had just taken it for what it was, then that would have been fine too.</p><p>"Yosuke," he says through bites of sandwich. A little nod, and he takes up another sandwich, and sips his juice, and eats. He's also starving, and this quiet is nice, peaceful. But after a long moment, he leans back, adjusting the collar of his yukata.</p><p>"You shouldn't have had to apologize," he says finally. "That's why this is going to take so long. Chichi-ue isn't happy."</p><p>Yosuke blinks slowly, then looks down at the juice he’s holding. "But... I’m the one who messed up the operation you guys were running." A smuggling operation, to be precise, using Junes as a convenient cover. Yosuke had run into the group assigned to the task and gotten into a rather nasty fight with the lot. He had no idea they were yakuza, as he stayed away from such matters as much as possible.</p><p>They had gone to his father, though, told him to keep his brat in check, and walked. The belt lashings Yosuke had gotten that night still ache on his lower back.</p><p>"My father’s been pissed with me," Yosuke adds, looking up at Souji. "He says I might have fucked up his dealings with you all."</p><p>"But you're his son. You're in his house. You report to him. So your error is his." Souji sips his juice, watching Yosuke over the lip of his cup. "However he wants to handle this internally is one thing. Dragging you here, making his inability to handle his internal problems Chichi-ue's problem is... not going to go well for him."</p><p>He shrugs a little, upsetting the fall of his collar again, which he adjusts, automatic, unthinking.</p><p>"I guess my dad doesn't think like a yakuza boss," Yosuke says, a wry smile playing at his lips as he considers the position they’re apparently in. His father is in trouble, yet he’s not? <em>Fantastic.</em></p><p>"Maybe he'll learn a lesson of some kind. Seems to be what he's trying to do with me, anyway." It’s why they’re here; it’s also why he’s got the welts on his back. Lessons. Yosuke’s yet to learn anything.</p><p>"Your father has a communication problem. He may not think like Chichi-ue, but he is talking to him, so he needs to adapt," Souji points out. "Your father is like the kumichou of his own house. Hanamura-kai, ne." He gives him a smile, just as small and sharp as Yosuke’s. "Except now he's insulted Chichi-ue by refusing to apologize for the offenses given by his underling, and making the underling apologize in his stead—"</p><p>He looks up suddenly, over Yosuke's head. The maid is there, bowing.</p><p>"Apologies for the interruption, bocchan," the maid says softly, still bowing. "There has been a call for tea..."</p><p>He sighs a little, adjusting his collar again. "Are you done eating?"</p><p>"...Yeah, I'm good," Yosuke says, voice softer now, the edge gone. He's not sure what happens next, so he simply watches Souji. His father had been quite adamant that he was going to see the true face of the yakuza today.</p><p>So far, he’d seen sandwiches and a very, <em>very </em>handsome boy. Hardly a punishment.</p><p>Souji rises, leaving the plates and cups where they are. "Come on then," he says, a final adjustment of his collar, waiting for Yosuke to rise as well before a gesture for him to follow.</p><p>They leave the kitchen, heading down the hall to another doorway. He opens this door, nods him through, and then closes the door behind him. It's another blank hallway, more doors, but this one has a wall of windows on the one side, showing an inner terrace dark with wild plant life: trees and bushes and greenery, lush and heavy. Yosuke hesitates, staring.</p><p>Souji doesn't wait there, heading further in, another hallway, then a final door, which he opens and gestures Yosuke in through.</p><p>It's a parlor, of some sort, tatami floors again: there's a low tea table, a few seats around it, a sound system in a corner. As they walk in, Yosuke realizes that it's not a parlor, but a bedroom, a wide futon spread out on the floor, neatly made, some sliding panels for closets. Yosuke’s attention is immediately drawn to the sound system.</p><p>Souji steps around him to head to a closet, opening it up and pulling out clothes. "I'm going to change. Make yourself comfortable." Then he disappears behind a door to a bathroom.</p><p>Yosuke watches him go, wondering what kinds of clothes a guy like that wears normally, out of yukata and <em>business</em>. Then he's on the sound system, marveling at it, the setup and the specs and damn, it's <em>nice</em>.</p><p>When Souji emerges a few minutes later, in slacks and a button-up shirt, Yosuke is still admiring the setup. He's adjusting the cuff of one sleeve as he comes out, eyes falling to Yosuke, the system.</p><p>"Do you like music?" he asks as he sits in one of the chairs by the low tea table, sprawling out a little bit.</p><p>"Hell yes," Yosuke says, giving Souji a genuine grin—and then he sees the outfit. He swallows, feeling like he's definitely red in the face. Who gave this gangster the right to be so attractive? "...Um, yeah. Music is like, my whole life, man." He turns back to the system. "This is amazing, though. We don't even sell this model at Junes!" He laughs a little, half-circling around it, looking at everything. "Aw man, it must sound like a <em>dream</em>."</p><p>Souji smiles, and nods. "I don't know much about it." He laughs a little, as if embarrassed. "I like having some sound at night, so I don't really use it much... You'll have to show me how it works."</p><p>Yosuke can feel his stomach twisting, anxiety and excitement all at once. "Like, now? Because I have my MP3 on me..." He slips his hands into his pockets, looking away shyly. "Um... if that's cool. I have a lot of western music, mostly..."</p><p>He's pretty sure Souji's not going to ever invite him over again, but... will Souji ask for his number, maybe? Why is he so goddamn <em>nervous</em>? Maybe because Souji is yakuza, except Yosuke knows that’s not it. This isn’t about fear.</p><p>Souji smiles warmly at him, and gives him a simple nod.</p><p>Yosuke grins in reply, then takes out his MP3 player and hooks it up to the audio jack. After making sure the volume's not up too high, he hits play on a favorite song of his, bouncing on his toes when the sound comes through the speakers.</p><p>"Dude, this is so... crisp! Listen to that sound!" He sets his MP3 down, then plops down on the floor, cross-legged, happily taking it in. He’s completely oblivious to Souji’s gaze on him, the fact that Souji thinks he’s absolutely <em>adorable. </em></p><p>Regardless, Souji laughs a little. It wouldn't do to say that it just sounds like <em>sound </em>to him, but he can appreciate that there's more sound than usual, at least. He really doesn't know anything about it at all, does he?</p><p>"You're welcome to come over and listen on it whenever you want," he says.</p><p>Yosuke’s eyes go wide, and then he’s staring at Souji, surprised. All of this is well and good—dragging him around, feeding him, being so kind—but to invite him to come back? Genuinely? It’s a good thing he knows nothing about how this place works, or he’d be able to call it for the bluff that it is.</p><p>"Seriously? You wouldn’t mind?" He looks away, picking at the inseam of his jeans along one calf. "You’ve been... really nice to me, man. Thanks." Most people aren’t. He’s too brash, too combative, too loud, too <em>queer. </em></p><p>Souji's eyes flick to him, then away again, a respectful sort of distance in not staring at him. There's thoughts in his head, coalescing, a little chess board of people.</p><p>But more importantly, Yosuke is <em>interesting</em>.</p><p>"...You weren't being sincere when you apologized to Chichi-ue, were you?"</p><p>Yosuke gives Souji a look out of the corner of his eye. "...and if I wasn't? You said it yourself, it was my dad's problem, not mine." He turns his head fully away, no room for eye contact. He’s not about to tell the yakuza prince that he hates the yakuza.</p><p>Souji laughs softly.</p><p>"I think it's charming," he says after a moment, grinning. "I don't think there's many people who are brave enough to tell Chichi-ue to go fuck himself to his face. I think that's why he didn't catch it, ne."</p><p>Another look from the corner of his eye, and Yosuke laughs a little himself, surprised. "...Yeah? You seem to respect him a lot," he says. He’s never called his own dad anything so formal as <em>Chichi-ue</em>, and never intends to start. "So... how’s that charming, to you?"</p><p>Souji cocks his head a little. "Because it's brave." His grin widens, something a little wild held back behind his eyes. "It's crazy, and reckless, but brave."</p><p>Yosuke’s face goes red, utterly surprised by the compliment, and by the way the look in Souji’s eyes makes him feel. "Oh. Well..." He grins, then, and leans back on his hands. "Crazy and reckless sounds like me, alright." His heart is hammering a mile a minute in his chest, but he tries to look casual.</p><p>Souji's eyes narrow to slits of delight. That blush is inciting all sorts of ideas in his head.</p><p>"Is that so," he says softly, the corners of his mouth quirking up just so. "What other sort of crazy, reckless things do you do, Yosuke?"</p><p>Yosuke's breath catches. What does <em>that </em>mean? He feels trapped, in his place on the floor, and some part of him loves it. That’s the shocking part: that he’s <em>enjoying</em> this little game his host is playing with him.</p><p>"...Y'know," he says quietly. "Lots of stuff. Getting into fights, skipping class... I mean, there's lots of things I'd be down to try, too..."</p><p>
  <em>Why did he say it like that?!</em>
</p><p>"So you're a delinquent," Souji says after a long moment, voice amused, still smiling. "As if the dyed hair wasn't enough of an indication."</p><p>"Guess so," Yosuke mutters, looking down at his legs. "I mean, wouldn't you be? It's this or be the prim and proper heir to the Junes throne. <em>Pft</em>. No thanks." He fiddles with the hem of his sweater, nervous.</p><p>"I think clearly the answer is no, I wouldn't be," Souji says cheerfully, watching him, an almost predatory gleam to his eye. "But you and I are different, aren't we?"</p><p>In many ways. How thrilling that is.</p><p>Yosuke flushes again. "Uh... y-yeah. Really different. Guy like you doesn't have to... be a delinquent to be cool." He feels like a deer in headlights, trapped under this guy’s gaze.</p><p>"Is that so..."</p><p>Souji laughs again, soft and low, before shifting up onto his knees, to move closer to Yosuke. He kneels beside him, reaching for his hair. He rubs a few strands through his fingers, eyes locked there on Yosuke’s hair and no lower, certainly not to that delicious flush over his face.</p><p>"Did you bleach it, to get this color...? Or just dye it?"</p><p>The flush on Yosuke’s face has gotten to a critical level. No one's played with his hair in... ever? Teddie has touched his head, but not like <em>this</em>. And Souji is so close, and looks so good, smells so good...</p><p>"I... I just dye it, usually," he manages, swallowing thickly. "My hair retains it well..." He's trying to not look at Souji, even though he wants to stare. Such a handsome face... (Is <em>this</em> what he’s into? Another annoying facet of his sexuality.)</p><p>Souji hums, as if this is the most interesting thing he's ever heard. He pats over Yosuke’s hair carefully, fingers fleeting and gentle, from the top of his head down the sides. "It's much softer than it looks like it should be."</p><p>"I take good care of it," Yosuke replies quickly, trying to not be so obvious about how rapid his breathing has become. "I... I like my hair. I think it's important to... be good to it."</p><p>Souji's grin widens.</p><p>"I like it too," he says softly. "It does seem to be something important to be good at."</p><p>Yosuke swallows again, or tries to, but his mouth is dry and his head is filling with the most... <em>filthy</em> possible thoughts, urged on by the delicious rumble of Souji’s voice. What else might Souji like about him? Would Souji like all of him? Would Yosuke’s music drown out his frantic moaning?</p><p>Red, he's so <em>red</em>. Why is Souji so interested in him? Why is it making Yosuke want to just leap into bed with the guy?! He’s a virgin, not to mention—</p><p>He slowly looks at Souji's face, his predatory grin. <em>Take advantage of me.</em> "Your hair looks nice, too."</p><p>Still smiling, Souji leans in a little closer, under the pretense of ducking his head a little more: an invitation to touch as he has touched.</p><p>"Thank you. I take good care of it. I like my hair. I think it's important to be good to it." It's not mockery, but a softness, a tease in this likeness.</p><p>Yosuke stares for a moment, a little shocked, before carefully reaching up and tucking his fingers under the fringe of Souji's bangs, pushing them up and away as he feels. It's very soft, very luxurious -- he could get lost in hair like this.</p><p>The more pressing issue is just how handsome this bastard is with his bangs out of the way. Goddammit. Does this make him gay?</p><p>"It's nice," he murmurs, eyes wide. "You do a good job."</p><p>Souji's smile softens, eyes bright. "Thank you." He looks over Yosuke’s face, the wide of his eyes, that lingering flush...</p><p>Fuck it.</p><p>Souji leans in, closing this little gap between them, to kiss him, hard and demanding, hands up to hold his head in place. Yosuke's eyes are still wide, hands frozen in mid-air as his jaw goes slack and the muscles in his cunt go tight. Souji's taking no prisoners here, he <em>wants </em>this and he's <em>having </em>it, and that—that's unbelievably hot, despite the clear violation of boundaries. Yosuke's never felt so much like he wanted someone else calling the shots before.</p><p>His hands grasp at Souji's shirt, not to push, but to cling.</p><p>Souji slides his lips over Yosuke’s, breaking the kiss to lean back, grinning again. One hand strokes up through Yosuke's hair, and he watches that, instead of the bright wide of Yosuke's eyes, the slack-jawed shock.</p><p>"We'll be here a while," he says finally, voice thick with amusement. "Might as well have some fun."</p><p>Yosuke nods, snapping his mouth shut when he realizes it’s hanging open. Fun... he wants to have fun. Doesn’t he? He’s been wanting it for a few minutes now, try as he might to back away from it. If Souji feels the same, then... what’s the harm?</p><p>The idea of being taken by someone like this, someone tall and handsome and crafty and clever... Yosuke can’t deny that it’s exciting. And he’s a delinquent, isn’t he? This is right up his alley.</p><p>So he uncrosses his legs, turns more towards Souji, on his knees, placing his hands boldly on Souji’s upper thighs.</p><p>Souji grins wider, before pulling Yosuke into another kiss, this time his tongue sliding against his lips, encouraging him to open his mouth for him (which Yosuke eagerly does). His hands move to Yosuke’s waist, to hold there, a soft squeeze. He's thin under this baggy sweater, and Souji can't wait to see what other promises his body holds under all these clothes.</p><p>Yosuke is just trying to keep up, meanwhile, moving his lips and tongue against Souji’s, mimicking Souji’s own movements as best he can. It feels good... intimate, even. The hands at his waist are a thrill, and slowly Yosuke slides his hands up Souji's front to touch him in kind, settling over his chest. If Souji weren't kneeling, Yosuke might be so bold as to climb into his lap. Maybe there will be time for that later...</p><p>Souji's hands slip alongside the bottom of Yosuke's sweater, diving under and seeking skin, nudging the sweater up. Yosuke gasps against his mouth and arches at the touch, flat belly handily exposed as Souji pushes his sweater up. It's good to see that Yosuke is interested in reciprocating, Souji thinks, enjoying the hands on his chest, wondering what else Yosuke might reciprocate.</p><p>And he's so eager, isn't he? So receptive, so <em>ready</em>, but clearly inexperienced. It's delight running through Souji's veins now, along with heat. Could it be no one has kissed this reckless little delinquent?</p><p>Of course, Yosuke's never done this, not any of it, from kissing to whatever it is Souji has planned past that.</p><p>"I... I don't know what I'm doing," he finally manages, hiding his face against Souji's neck. "I've never done this before." He pinches the fabric of Souji's dress shirt, breathing heavy. "Th-that doesn't mean you have to go easy on me, though..."</p><p>Souji laughs softly. "Is that so," he says, his words nearly another laugh. Yosuke is so fucking <em>cute</em>, he thinks. Leaning into him so intimately, his breath hot on Souji's neck.</p><p>"I want to see you," Souji says, hands tugging a little at Yosuke’s sweater. "I want to feel over your skin, and touch you." He angles his head to be able to whisper directly in Yosuke’s ear. "I want to touch all over you, and see how you react to where I touch you. Will you be ticklish? Will you gasp? Will you cry out? I can't wait to see what sounds I can pull from you, Yosuke..."</p><p>Yosuke bites his lip, a little whine, hips shifting. Who gave this guy the right to be so hot? Man, his dad would kill him if he knew—since Yosuke is <em>Youko </em>to him, he'd not be scandalized by them both being boys, but rather that Yosuke would so brazenly have sex with someone at his age... the son of a yakuza boss, no less!</p><p>He sits back and away, taking a steadying breath before grabbing the hem of his sweater to pull it over his head, obedient, reckless. His headphones go with it, just barely cushioned by the fabric as both fall to the ground. He's skinny and pale underneath, flat-chested but not exactly shaped like a cis man's. There's a few scattered freckles across his shoulders.</p><p>He's <em>never </em>done this: being bare-chested in front of someone. He wears tank tops to school so he can get into his gym clothes without having to be exposed. Yet here he is, with a <em>stranger</em>, begging to be seen and touched and who knows what else.</p><p>Souji looks over him with approval, a softening in his eyes, but his smile still predator-sharp. He leans forward to kiss Yosuke again, hungry for more, kissing him harder. His hands resume their place on his waist, now up to the splay of his ribs, over his chest, thumbs dragging over his nipples on their way up to cradle his face, dragging a gasp and a shiver out of Yosuke. Souji tilts his head just so, so he can drag his tongue along his lips and pet his tongue against Yosuke’s.</p><p>The flush on Yosuke's face speaks to all sorts of new experiences, and Souji meant every word he'd said. Maybe he can make Yosuke scream. Wouldn't that be fun?</p><p>Yosuke kisses back so <em>eagerly</em>. He feels sensitive, like every touch is electric and burning in only the best way. He reaches out for purchase, a grasp at Souji's thigh...</p><p>...and finds, there, straining against his slacks, an erection. Somehow he forgot to expect that.</p><p>He gasps, breaks the kiss, yanks his hand back like he's just done something horrible. Then he's looking at Souji, wondering... is it okay if he touches...?</p><p>Souji raises his chin, an imperious grin. "It's alright," he says softly, his voice too gentle for the excitement and eagerness in his eyes.</p><p>"You can touch me." He leans in, to kiss his throat, his neck, his collar, a soft little bite there, one hand trailing over his chest again. His thumb drifts over a nipple, a little tease; was that what made Yosuke reach for him? Yosuke gasps again, a little arch of his back.</p><p>"You can do more than touch me, if you'd like."</p><p>Yosuke has a dozen burning questions. <em>Will you touch me, too? Should I use my mouth? Are you going to take your pants off?</em></p><p>
  <em>...Are you going to fuck me?</em>
</p><p>He reaches out with a hesitant hand, finding Souji's erection and carefully closing his fingers around it, as much as the taut fabric of his slacks will allow.</p><p>"...More?" he asks softly, quietly, giving the head of Souji's cock a slight squeeze, eyes locked on Souji’s all the while. "Like... like what?" His voice is shaky, a tremor in every syllable.</p><p>Souji takes a sharp little breath, a breathy laugh to follow.</p><p>"Whatever you want," he offers, sitting up again. One hand finds Yosuke's thigh, squeezing high there, the other planted into the tatami behind him, so he can lean back and watch Yosuke’s hesitant touches.</p><p>"You can use your mouth, if you want."</p><p>Yosuke swallows, nods. This is insane, but here he goes, slender fingers finding Souji's belt buckle and undoing it. Maybe, if he uses his mouth... Maybe those soft fingers that had been in his hair will be inside him instead. Or even... Souji's tongue...? Is that a reasonable thing to want?</p><p>The hand on his thigh is driving him wild. It either has to move or touch him, and he’s conflicted on which he prefers; some part of him screams that he’s going way too fast, making a huge mistake. He can’t quite deny the other part of him, though... the part that aches to be commanded, directed, <em>used</em>, even.</p><p>Slacks pushed out of the way, Yosuke pulls Souji's underwear down as well, a little huff when his cock springs out to meet him. It’s impressive, a decent size and girth, already dripping. Yosuke lowers himself, a little, hesitant lick, eyes cast up towards Souji.</p><p>Souji smiles down at him, still leaning back, the hand that had been on Yosuke's thigh now on his head, brushing his hair back off his face gently, fingers curling at the top of his head.</p><p>He wonders how red Yosuke's face can get with his throat tight around his cock.</p><p>He's going to fuck Yosuke stupid. That much is patently clear already.</p><p>"Have you done this before?"</p><p>Yosuke pulls his head up a little, gently stroking Souji's cock, marveling at the way the skin bunches against his fingers. "...No," he says softly. "None of it. Kissing, head, handjobs, sex... I'm, uh, kind of a virgin?" Souji isn't surprised. 'Kinda a virgin' indeed.</p><p>"I think you're a natural," he says quietly, petting back Yosuke’s soft hair.</p><p>Yosuke laughs a little, nervous, before ducking his head again, a little suckle to the tip, earning a sharp hiss from Souji. It tastes odd, salt and... something, but it's arousing to be doing and he's finding that he doesn't mind the taste at all.</p><p>He pulls back again, a broad lick, and then he looks up, curious. "You do this with every kid your age that comes by here...?"</p><p>"No. I don't have many age peers that visit the compound," Souji says. Yosuke’s so fucking cute, looking up at him like that though, and Souji's cock twitches in his hand. "I like that. At the tip. It's more sensitive there."</p><p>The twitch surprises Yosuke, and he looks down before complying, suckling the very tip again. He reaches up with his free hand to tuck some hair behind one ear, all that was left from Souji pushing the rest away, his other hand squeezing and pumping the shaft slowly as he works. Does Souji want to come in his mouth? Or will he deign to fuck Yosuke instead?</p><p>The only indication of how wonderful this feels is a tightening of his hand in Yosuke's hair, and a stuttered exhale. For all his lack of experience, Yosuke certainly makes up for it in eagerness. But this is just foreplay, Souji thinks, a dangerous little narrow of his eyes as he watches.</p><p>Yosuke licks the tip, kisses around it, pulls it fully into his mouth, sucks. Souji seems to be enjoying himself; maybe Yosuke is doing a good job. <em>A natural,</em> he'd said. Yosuke likes that, likes the praise. Likes the hand tight in his hair, the throbbing against his tongue. He sucks eagerly, like he's trying to get something out of it, but he doesn't go much lower than he already is, too afraid he might gag.</p><p>Souji hums, trying to keep his hips still, for now. "You're good at this," he says, amusement heavy on his voice. If he goes much further, Souji isn't going to want to stop. Yet he’s confirmed Yosuke’s thoughts: he’s doing well.</p><p>Suddenly, Souji tugs his head up by the hair, off of his cock, that little line of saliva and precome between his lips and the tip absolutely filthy, delicious. Souji wants to fuck his throat. Not yet, he thinks, not yet. Yosuke is too beautiful like this, mouth hanging open, eyes wide, his chest heaving.</p><p>"Let me return the favor," Souji says, the hand in Yosuke’s hair sliding down to a cheek, a caress, as Souji stands.</p><p>Yosuke blinks owlishly. "Return the...?" What does that mean? Is—is he going to...</p><p>Yosuke scrambles to his feet, suddenly more aware of the height gap. Just another difference between them, like their living situations, their experience, their personalities. He feels so... heated, by it all. He wants whatever Souji is offering.</p><p>Souji smiles, a little nod, like they're both on the same page, even though Yosuke's expression clearly indicates otherwise. Still, he moves with the assurance that they are, tugging him over to the futon.</p><p>It's a simple thing to lean down and kiss him again, the little soft of his own taste on Yosuke's mouth exciting in a very particular way, as his hands drift down over Yosuke's body, lingering over his chest to pinch lightly at a nipple.</p><p>Yosuke gasps against Souji's lips, squeezing his thighs together as he kisses back with increased passion, even going so far as to catch Souji’s bottom lip in his teeth and pull. Souji laughs, soft and low, loving the way Yosuke twitches and tenses as he rolls a nipple through his fingers, just light enough that it's a tease, an encouragement, grinning against his mouth before kissing him again.</p><p>He's so fucking eager. This really is fantastic. <em>Yosuke </em>really is fantastic.</p><p>Yosuke lifts his arms, wrapping them around Souji's neck and tangling the fingers of one hand in his hair, whimpering into their kiss. He wants more, so much more, but he's also good like this, right here... though the burning in his cunt will have to be dealt with eventually, if he’s going to find any peace.</p><p>His dad pays too much attention to the mail for Yosuke to have any proper toys. His fingers are usually his go-to, but he's not been above humping his pillow or eyeing anything sufficiently phallic with a guilty want. What will this be like, compared to that? He removes the hand not in Souji's hair to instead go down, touch his cock.</p><p>Souji's grin widens. <em>Eager, eager, eager.</em> He lets go of Yosuke’s chest to slide his hands down over his front, down to the button of his jeans, to open them without needing to look. His hands move to Yosuke’s waist then, his backside, slipping down between skin and cloth to ease his pants and underwear down. The scent of him is riotous, and Souji licks his lips, anticipation, as Yosuke steps out of his pants, panting and needy.</p><p>"Lay on the bed," Souji says quietly against his lips.</p><p>Yosuke plops himself down on the futon, looking up at Souji (and his magnificent cock) for a moment before hesitantly laying down, hair splayed across the pillow. His knees are pressed together, thighs tense, and he's all at once way too worried about his body: how it smells, how it looks, how it behaves. What if Souji doesn't like it? What if it makes him treat Yosuke like a girl?</p><p>...still, he wants this. That’s the worst part: the haze of want, driving out all rational thought. But who can blame him? He’s a sixteen-year-old boy.</p><p>Souji kneels down at the edge of the futon, by Yosuke’s feet, hands on his calves, stroking there as he smiles at him. He's so fucking cute here, like this, looking up at him with thin bravery barely veiling how nervous he is. Souji only pets him there, planting a kiss on his knee, watching his face.</p><p>He's going to fuck Yosuke senseless.</p><p>Souji crawls up after him, hands to the inside of his knees, a little nudge, not enough to force his legs open, but a question: open for me?</p><p>Yosuke bites his lip, then slowly peels his legs apart, thighs falling open before Souji. Yosuke wants this, wants to be touched and kissed and whatever else happens, wants everything Souji has to offer. He's so gentle, but with an edge to him, like he might snap Yosuke in half. He <em>likes</em> it.</p><p>"Good," Souji says quietly, leaning down to kiss Yosuke’s thigh, looking up at him. "Relax for me," he says softly.</p><p>Then, as he does, it's a simple matter to slip his hands beneath Yosuke's thighs and push them up, spreading him open, hands tight on the underside of his thighs, Yosuke's feet in the air. He keeps him there for a moment, just looking over him, hunger on his face. Yosuke looks back, wide-eyed, a terrified prey animal in the lion’s den.</p><p>Can Souji make him scream like this? Can he make Yosuke come from this? No way to know except to try.</p><p>From there, it's even easier to lean down and bury his face in Yosuke’s cunt, a long lick upwards, suction and tight against his clit.</p><p>Yosuke lets out a sharp, surprised yelp, followed by a long, low moan as he tangles his fingers in Souji's hair reflexively. He's never felt anything like this. Souji is clearly some sort of expert, and Yosuke can't even be jealous of the others who've probably been here before, because he's here now and Souji seems to be enjoying him. And for Souji to do this, pleasure Yosuke so explicitly... He doesn't know what it means, his head is filled with stars, but it's good either way.</p><p>"<em>S-Souji,</em>" he whines, and it's the first time he's actually said the other boy's name. Yakuza-boss-son, Souji-bocchan... just Souji, now. And Yosuke is <em>his</em>.</p><p>There is something so delightfully possessive that stirs in Souji at the way Yosuke says his name, and he hums in response, delighted.</p><p>It's funny: none of the people Souji had ever fooled around with would have dared to say his first name so freely, even if given; none of them would have even thought of touching his hair without explicit permission, and even then, would he have allowed it?</p><p>But little delinquent Yosuke, all fire and recklessness, just <em>does </em>these things, and it's thrilling. Yosuke doesn't know the rules, and something about that makes him <em>exciting</em>.</p><p>Yosuke has no idea he's doing anything out of the ordinary—perhaps foolishly, he feels they're on equal ground. Sure, Souji is taller, more experienced, more <em>affluent,</em> but Yosuke feels like he can touch, and talk, and reciprocate... and perhaps with anyone else, should another yakuza child decide he made a good plaything, he would have quickly been in deep trouble the likes of which he'd never known.</p><p>Souji is... special, more than Yosuke realizes. Yet he feels it, regardless; he likes Souji. He wants more of this.</p><p>Yosuke lets out a little sob of pleasure as Souji sucks greedily on his clit, then angles his head to drive his tongue deep into the tight of him, a roll of it inside. He'll find what makes Yosuke tremble, and he’ll exploit it for all it’s worth. Yosuke can’t wait.</p><p>Souji squeezes his thighs, pushing down, bending him nearly in half as he licks through him, suckles on his clit, fucks into him with his tongue, explores him and his sounds and what makes him twitch. Souji himself wants more, <em>needs </em>more than this, but his original idea of flipping Yosuke over and fucking him down into the futon seems too distant for what he wants now.</p><p>He wants Yosuke's hands on him. He wants Yosuke to cling to him.</p><p>He pulls back to wipe his face on his sleeve, eyes dark and joyous as he looks over Yosuke, the full nakedness of his body, the sheen of sweat, the heavy of his breath.</p><p>"I want to fuck you," Souji whispers.</p><p>Yosuke lets out a little half-laugh, high-pitched and keening. "Oh," he says, simply, legs trembling in Souji’s grip. That's what he wants, too, more than anything. It's also the thing that scares him most. Souji's not small, not by a long shot, and Yosuke is a pathetic little virgin whose biggest experience thus far has been the handle of a brush, one time. And god knows that was quite different.</p><p>Still... Souji's not simply <em>taking </em>him, and while Yosuke would happily allow it at this point, it's worth examining. Surely Souji won't hurt him. <em>Surely</em>.</p><p>So he nods, a little. "Y-yeah... yeah. I want that too."</p><p>Souji smiles, a sharp cat-like smile, easing Yosuke's legs down.</p><p>The head of his cock, woefully ignored and throbbing, is slick with his own want, and taking hold of himself, he presses just so at Yosuke's blindingly hot wetness, a little drag of his cock there, just to feel him. He's a virgin, untested, so Souji should be careful. A little press, for now, hands to his hips to hold him steady, press, <em>press</em>, just the head of him slipping in, a little "<em>oh" </em>leaving Yosuke as it does. He thought there'd be more preparation, or... something. He's honestly not sure <em>what </em>he thought. Regardless, there Souji is, pushing in, and Yosuke's face and chest and ears and shoulders are all on <em>fire</em>.</p><p>He can feel the pressure between them, the tight of his body trying to keep Souji out, and he takes a shaking breath to try and steady himself. There's a little burn there, a discomfort, but not quite pain as he relaxes his muscles just enough for Souji to slide further in. They’re<em> doing this</em>, holy shit, he was in trouble today and the marks are still visible on his back from his father's belt, but he's fucking the <em>yakuza boss's son</em>—</p><p>Whimpering softly, Yosuke reaches, hands finding those on his hips and gripping tight. Souji smiles as those hands find his, spreading his fingers to slot their hands together. He pushes in, just a little further, careful and controlled, even though instinct tells him to just <em>push</em>.</p><p>Yosuke shifts his hips, a new angle, coaxing Souji further inside with a soft moan and a squeeze to his hands. "<em>Souji</em>," he breathes, reverent. Souji's breath sharpens. He pushes in, more, more, tight and slick and tight, more, <em>more</em>. It's good, so fucking <em>good,</em> his face hot not just from the pleasure of this, pushing in, looking down to watch himself disappear into him, but also from something else, something unexpected.</p><p>This isn't just about Souji, and what Souji wants, he realizes as he sinks to the hilt, rooted deep. He wants this to be good for Yosuke.</p><p>
  <strike>Oh, no. He's fucked.</strike>
</p><p>Yosuke's eyes slip closed, a moan passing his lips as he adjusts to the feel of Souji so deep inside. That brush handle didn't get this deep, and the pressure of being filled is just absolute bliss. Slowly, as Yosuke opens his eyes again, he looks at Souji, and gives him a first: a soft, genuine smile.</p><p>"Okay," he pants. "Okay, I... I think... I think you can speed up..."</p><p>Souji only nods, squeezing Yosuke’s hips a little tighter, pulling back while he watches Yosuke’s face. He pushes in, again, faster but not <em>fast</em>, just enough, until he bottoms out again.</p><p>"You can take me pretty well, can't you?" Souji murmurs, eyes flicking down to the union between them. "Stretched wide, but you can take me. Like you were made for this." He pulls back again, a faster push in this time. Yosuke bites his lip, stifling an embarrassing noise that Souji manages to yank out of him. <em>Stretched wide</em>. Is he? He almost wishes it was easier to look. <em>Like you were made for this.</em></p><p>"Made for <em>you</em>," he comments, offhand, barely thinking, head lolling back.</p><p>Souji buries himself to the hilt, a little groan. "<em>Fuck</em>," he hisses.</p><p>It isn't just the tight, and the slick, and the delicious feeling of pushing against the depth of his cunt, but the words.</p><p>
  <em>Made for me.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mine.</em>
</p><p>Souji pulls back, just to snap his hips forward, again, <em>again</em>, breath heavy. He twists his hands to put their fingers together, palms to palm, to pin them down besides Yosuke's head, holding him <em>down </em>as he fucks into him, rougher now. Yosuke gasps and moans, breath coming hard as he's mercilessly fucked. It feels so good, more than he could have ever imagined, and within moments he's practically sobbing in rapture. He wants this, every part of it—<em>made for you,</em> made for Souji, <em>his</em>, a pet, property. He wants to be used up until he can't move, wants to be the center of Souji's attention, his entire world if only for a few moments.</p><p>His muscles pulse and contract around Souji's length, gripping him tight on every pass back out. "<em>Sou-jiii</em>," he whines, rocking his hips to meet Souji's. It's almost too good, and Souji fucks into him, the tightness threatening to push him over. He wants Yosuke to come, he wants him to come on his cock, he wants to mark him as <em>his </em>and only his. Yosuke<em> is</em> <em>his</em>: he meets his every thrust, meets him when he drags out, the sounds of him for Souji and Souji <em>alone</em>.</p><p>He leans down to kiss Yosuke, tongue and sloppy and a mess of a kiss, just for the feel of it. He breaks the kiss to bite at Yosuke’s chest, a press of teeth there, a suckle, a mark.</p><p>"Mine," he breathes, an allowance, almost too soft to be heard.</p><p>But Yosuke hears it, just barely, and that's about all it takes; with everything else, the fucking, the kissing, the teeth and lips and tight grip on his hands, it's all so much, too much. His back arches, toes curling, a scream ripping out of his throat as he comes harder than he ever has in his entire life. He's sobbing as he comes down from it, cunt milking Souji for all he's worth as his orgasm lasts.</p><p>There's no way Souji could last through that, all that tightness and that <em>scream</em>, the pure expression of his body lost to pleasure, and Souji knows he needs to pull out, to come on his skin, but he can't, it's not even a question. Yosuke is so tight around him that he can hardly move, and he rocks hard against him, buried deep, as he comes with a little pained gasp, mind completely empty, head falling forward, propped up on his hands holding Yosuke’s, panting, almost shaking.</p><p>Yosuke slowly goes limp, head lolling to the side as the muscles in his thighs tremble from the exertion. He's so worn, so thoroughly fucked that he feels utterly helpless, vulnerable. If Souji were to keep doing anything to him, he'd be powerless to stop it, but it seems they're both spent...</p><p><em>God</em>. What a way to lose his virginity. Yosuke laughs, breathless; it breaks some quiet in Souji, and he laughs too, easing his hands out of Yosuke’s to sit back up, holding his hips in place so he doesn't spill out of him yet.</p><p>"Not quite how you thought today would go, ne," he says softly, another laugh.</p><p>Yosuke shakes his head. "No, not exactly," he says, slipping his feet behind Souji's knees, a casual request to stay where he was. It’s honored easily, a small smile from Souji.</p><p>"My dad was so... so sure we'd get out of this by the skin of our teeth," Yosuke says. "But he's the one in trouble... <em>I</em> lost my virginity to the hottest guy I've ever met." A chuckle, and a contented sigh. "He'd use more than his belt on me if he knew..."</p><p>Souji's content to just sit here like this, in this quiet haze. The compliment isn't acknowledged, but his eyes snap up to Yosuke’s face at the mention of a belt.</p><p>Corporal punishment is normal. It's a natural part of this world. It doesn't mean he has to like it, though.</p><p>"I thought you were his heir," he says after a long moment.</p><p>Yosuke looks up at Souji, a little surprise, a fluttering in his chest at the idea that this perfect man might actually <em>care</em>. "Well... sort of."</p><p>He sighs, folding his hands under his head, looking away. "He barely respects me—or, y'know, <em>Youko</em>. I was supposed to be the heir to the Junes throne or whatever, but then I made this friend... he was in the foster system, and he was aging out. So I managed to convince Dad to adopt him, with the promise that he'd work at Junes."</p><p>A bitter little smile touches his face. "I love Teddie, but... Dad thinks he's a better heir. Maybe he's right."</p><p>Souji's eyes narrow. His mind is already racing, and––</p><p>And then the perfect solution appears.</p><p>"...How well can you fight?"</p><p>Yosuke's eyes snap back to Souji's face, searching. "...Pretty well, why?"</p><p>Souji smiles, the little pieces falling neatly into place. It's a tidy solution, and one that offers quite a lot, going forward. Vengeance, a sharpness of place.</p><p>And prevents Yosuke from being hit again.</p><p>"How well do you understand our structure?"</p><p>Slowly, Yosuke pushes himself to sit up, still tied to Souji. "Uh... not super well," he says softly. "I've always tried to stay out of you guys' uh, <em>business</em>. Dad's the one who's got his nose up your collective asses." A little snort. "So... what do you have in mind?"</p><p>Souji grins, slow and commanding, chin raised. There's something vicious in his eyes.</p><p>"Come work for me."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Reckless</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Who knew Yosuke was so willing to follow orders?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Dear reader, we are only just getting started.</p><p>Teenagers sure can be stupid, huh?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yosuke stares.</p><p>“I'm too young yet to take over anything really, but I need my own men. Protection, advisors, the like. It's why I've been sitting in on this sort of thing to begin with," Souji says, a loose explanation he imagines Yosuke can follow. "Let your brother take the heirship. I know you hate the yakuza," he grins a little more, "but if it's a working arrangement..."</p><p>It takes a few moments for everything to catch up, for Yosuke to find the words to respond. "You're serious?" He is. "You want... <em>me</em>. Working for <em>you</em>? But... I'm—"</p><p>
  <em>Useless, stupid, annoying, pain in the ass, redundant, selfish, needy— </em>
</p><p>"...You know I don't like you guys?" He looks away nervously. "I mean... well, the organization, yeah, but... I like <em>you</em>, so..." And Souji seems to like him back?</p><p>"You really want me to?"</p><p>"We're not what you think we are," Souji offers, a crooked grin that says that it's a complete and utter lie. "We're just a chivalrous organization, same as any other. And we're family. The whole organization is a family. If you're willing to learn, if you're willing to find a place here, then the family would absolutely take you in." He smiles again, a little shrug, looking down at his cock still buried deep inside Yosuke. "Think it over. Open invitation."</p><p>Yosuke watches Souji for a moment. <em>Think it over</em>. Like he ever does.</p><p>A crooked smile of his own. "Wouldn't that make this incest?"</p><p>He's considering it, though, the gears in his mind turning. He'd always hated the yakuza because he and his family were under the thumb of the organization, trapped under their whims. If he was one of them, though, wouldn't that be different? He'd have power. He'd be able to use it for good, too. He'd also get to punch guys and lord over his dad. What wasn't to like?</p><p>...Plus, he'd be around Souji. A lot. <em>This</em> could happen more often.</p><p>Souji laughs, a little grimace. "It's not that kind of family. It's more like—"</p><p>It's like marriage, but if Yosuke doesn't know that already there's no point in bringing it up now.</p><p>"It doesn't matter. You'd have to follow orders, yes, but they'd be my orders, or Chichi-ue's through me, for the good of the family and those we protect. Freedom in restriction, and all that."</p><p>"It was a joke, Souji," Yosuke says softly, smiling. "I'm not as dumb as I seem." He hesitates, then reaches, sliding his hands from Souji's stomach to his chest, eyes following his hands before drifting up to Souji's face. "And... if I say yes? What happens with <em>this</em>?"</p><p>Souji watches his face. "What happens with this with you and I? Who the fuck is going to tell us no?" He huffs a little. "It's normal. My father was fucking his waka-gashira for years before I was born. You wouldn't have family but this."</p><p>Yosuke bites his lip, hesitating. Then, softly, in his reckless way: “I want to belong to you.”</p><p>Souji presses at Yosuke's hand over his chest. "You would belong to me, and only to me."</p><p>Oh... that was exactly what Yosuke wanted to hear. He leans in, placing his cheek next to his hand, against Souji's chest. It isn’t love, not the fairytale he'd dreamed of as a young child, no; it’s something else, something possessive and fierce. Yet... he wants it. He wants to surrender himself, to give in to someone else's orders, have a purpose that isn't just stocking grocery and manning the electronics department by himself.</p><p>And what of Teddie, and Chie? His only real friends? Well, surely he could still see them...</p><p>"Okay," he says quietly. "I'll do it."</p><p>Reckless. But Souji likes it. Likes <em>him.</em></p><p>"Are you sure? You'd live here. Your home would be here. Any family you have beyond this would be reduced to acquaintances. You'd be involved in whatever the family does, and just as the family is responsible for you, you'd be responsible for the family."</p><p>He nudges Yosuke’s face up, to look him in the eye.</p><p>"<em>Think</em> about it. Nothing can be done today. I need to talk to Chichi-ue, and you need to go home with your father." He doesn't like that part much. "A few days at most, if this is what you decide."</p><p>Maybe he <em>does </em>need the time. Yosuke sighs, then wraps his arms around Souji's middle in a tight hug as he hides his face again. "Thank you," he says, softly, not elaborating. Thank you for caring, thank you for the sex, <em>thank you</em>—it means a lot of things.</p><p>The hug is another point of recklessness, another thing Yosuke does because he does not know he shouldn't—but it's welcome, more than welcome, and Souji strokes over his back, a hand up into his hair, damp with sweat.</p><p>"You think they're done?" Yosuke asks. "I should go wash up in your bathroom..."</p><p>"They won't be done until later," Souji says. "And we can go together." He pulls back, and pulls out, Yosuke shivering as Souji’s seed pools out of him. Souji also wants to shower, and then find out how Chichi-ue's dressing down of the elder Hanamura is going. "There's room enough for two," he adds.</p><p>"Oh... okay," Yosuke says, a little smile, a nod. He's never done that, either—showered with someone else. This is all so exciting. How much does Souji like him? Is he a toy, a pet, a friend...? If they'll be working together, then... partners, maybe? He stands on trembling legs, stumbling a little before heading to grab his pants off of the floor.</p><p>Souji sits back up off the futon and unbuttons his shirt to step out of his pants, leaving both discarded on the floor. He's stronger than he looks like he should be under his clothes, and he walks, comfortably naked, into the bathroom without another word. Yosuke, staring after him, red all over again, drops his pants back onto the floor and follows.</p><p>The sounds of the shower start behind the door, and Souji comes out of the bathroom with a toothbrush already in his mouth. He holds something out to Yosuke: another toothbrush, wrapped in plastic.</p><p>"Thanks," Yosuke says, meekly, stepping past Souji before scampering into the bathroom, nervous about his nakedness. He feels so pathetic compared to Souji. Which is unfair—he's not giving himself enough credit. He's lean and light, muscles toned from years of lifting things and getting into fistfights. Souji appreciates him, at least, a fact he’s entirely not used to yet.</p><p>Souji finishes brushing his teeth, spitting into the sink, before stepping into the shower. He lets the water flow over his face for a moment, before leaning back to flick it away, looking over at Yosuke. "Are you coming?"</p><p>Yosuke quickly finishes brushing his own teeth and hurries to the shower, where he hesitates before stepping in. It's close quarters, but Souji was right, it's big enough for both of them. Souji watches him, reflection and glass and the way water slicks over Yosuke's skin.</p><p>Nervous, Yosuke turns his side to Souji, rubbing his arms and looking at the wall. The lash marks on his back are visible.</p><p>Welts. Heavy and dark, the clear outline of a belt strap. Souji turns, stepping closer to him, a hand up to gently touch his hip, to the highest of them. He can feel the way the wound puckers under his fingertips. Fresh, but Yosuke had said as much.</p><p>"It's dangerous to be struck here," Souji says quietly. "It can cause ruptures, internally."</p><p>Yosuke looks up at Souji, a sad little expression, resigned. "I... didn't know," he says softly, and he wants to lean into Souji, but how much is too much? <em>His</em>, yes, but to what end? He’s so miserably touch-starved, and only now is he really realizing how bad it is.</p><p>"I doubt he did either,” he adds in a low voice. “Dunno why he didn't go for my ass, upper thighs, though... something with padding, you know?" The sting of the marks against the futon had been nothing compared to the lashings themselves, hence his lack of complaint. He rubs his arms again. "It's been worse before."</p><p>To Souji, it's clear why Shigeru didn't strike elsewhere: he'd wanted to hurt Yosuke. His back will hurt no matter how he moves. This sort of wounding is meant to go deep, into the musculature, into his body as a reminder in constant pain. It is a punishment meant to last long after the belting itself stopped. And while Souji can understand that, and even to a degree appreciate it... It is quite something else to see it on Yosuke's soft skin.</p><p>"I have a cream," he says quietly, turning from Yosuke to take up the soap. "I'll get it once we're done in here."</p><p>"Okay." Yosuke looks down, ankles crossed, hugging himself, looking as small as possible.<em> It was his fault.</em> Of course it was; he had caused trouble, had managed to piss off actual <em>yakuza</em>. Even if he was his father's responsibility... Yosuke doesn’t believe in that crap. He doesn’t belong to his father. He makes his own decisions.</p><p>Yet it’s strange, Yosuke thinks, how herejects ownership until he meets a stranger who ticks all the right boxes. It's not that he doesn't <em>want </em>to be commanded, it's that his father does a piss-poor job of it, and so does everyone else. Yosuke <em>wants </em>to hand himself over, wants life to be easy, directions on where to go and what to do instead of floundering in the depths like he always is, a rowboat in a storm. He never agreed to be his father’s property, but Souji is a different story... Yosuke feels a deep desire to be <em>his</em>.</p><p>But this is a commitment. A promise. He'll be a member of the fucking <em>yakuza</em>. A Seta clan member, an enforcer—an advisor, if he can prove to Souji he's actually rather smart. (Ha, as if.)</p><p>He's always, <em>always </em>on the precipice of disaster. The wrong act could tip him into a life of cynicism and hatred, and he's come so close, all his teenhood. How will this not be the straw that snaps his back in twain?</p><p>And then there’s Teddie. Perfect, handsome Teddie, gently rubbing some cream from the Junes pharmacy section into Yosuke's back while he sobbed into his pillow. How could he ever leave Teddie behind...? Teddie was there for him, cares so deeply about him. Teddie has been by his side when no one else was, and Yosuke is thinking of giving that away just to get some dick?</p><p>He wipes his eyes when he feels them go wet. No, no, not in front of the yakuza prince, <em>please</em>.</p><p>It's been a long day for Yosuke, Souji thinks, as he lathers the washcloth to wash himself off, before resting a hand on Yosuke's shoulder, to pet the washcloth over his back, gently. Yosuke seems surprised by the touch, but allows it without complaint. No breakfast, dragged in here to apologize for something that was hardly even his own fault, having to take responsibility for his father's stupidity, then sex and this offer for more...</p><p>Souji is greedy, he knows, and in that greed is the potential for harm. Normally he wouldn't care, but there's something here about Yosuke that he realizes he doesn't <em>want </em>to harm. He's reckless, but he's genuine in a way that feels refreshing, and beautiful despite being clearly shaped by violence. And somehow, for some reason, Souji doesn't want to hurt him.</p><p>...How strangely novel.</p><p>Yosuke hisses, soap and water and rough cloth on the topmost welt. It probably needs cleaning, but it stings like hell.</p><p>Souji squeezes his shoulder. "Be still," he says softly.</p><p>Be strong, through this fleeting pain. It won't be the last pain that Yosuke feels, not by a long shot. It's likely not even going to be the last time his father takes his failures out on Yosuke's skin. But maybe Yosuke will accept Souji’s offer. And maybe Souji can fix things then, going forward.</p><p>Besides, didn't Chichi-ue say he needed something to occupy his time? Something to focus on? Something to <em>do?</em></p><p>So Souji washes him carefully, taking down the handheld little spigot of the shower to rinse him off as he goes. Yosuke’s skin is nice, soft, and Souji glances down at himself, at his growing hardness.</p><p>They have time so... why not?</p><p>Yosuke, turned away, doesn't realize where Souji's thoughts are headed. He's busy withstanding the pain, jaw clenched, tears in his eyes, but a strange warmth in his heart. Souji wants to<em> take care</em> of him. Since when has Yosuke been worthy of such a thing? What does Souji see in him?</p><p>...for all <em>this</em> pain is horrible, Yosuke thinks to himself that if Souji wanted to hurt him—not out of anger, but out of want and lust and need—he might be okay with it. It's a silly thought, but it runs through his head; teeth on his throat, fingers tugging his nipples, having his face shoved into the pillow while he's fucked from behind— </p><p>Yosuke takes a steadying breath, a flush spread across his shoulders and face.</p><p>Souji turns him then, to soap over his chest, following with the showerhead, before leaning down to kiss at his neck, a little trailing set of bites as he leans down. Yosuke jolts, a little surprised, skin reddening further under Souji's lips and teeth. There's a mark now, high on his chest and vivid, much more pleasant than the wounds on his back. Yosuke’s breathing stutters, hands reaching to find strong shoulders, and now he happens to notice what's quickly growing between Souji's legs. Oh... he could <em>probably </em>go again. Actually, thinking about it, he <em>definitely </em>could.</p><p>Slowly, Yosuke moves closer, raising his thigh against Souji's, between them, gently brushing up against him from underneath. His gaze is inquisitive, a little question,<em> will you fuck me again?</em></p><p>The answer, it seems, is a resounding <em>yes.</em></p><p>Souji grins, leaning in to catch Yosuke’s mouth in a kiss, deep, demanding. He drops the showerhead, letting it clatter against the tile, and all but tosses the soap aside, punching off the water. That done, he nudges Yosuke out of the shower, making sure the bathmat is there, ready for them.</p><p>He leans Yosuke up against the sink to kiss him again, hands framing his hips on the sink cabinet, grinding up against his thigh.</p><p>It's all happening so fast, and Yosuke is delightedly caught up in it. This is <em>fun</em>, just like Souji said it would be. He kisses back eagerly, pushing his thigh against Souji's cock, cunt barely touched by the water yet damp anyway. He puts his hands on Souji's waist, another brazen little break of the rules he doesn't know about, pulling him in so he can grind in turn against him.</p><p>Then he pulls back with a gasp. "Show me," he pants, "how much I belong to you. Please?"</p><p>Souji grins, that same possessive entitled grin. His hands tighten on Yosuke’s hips, and he flips him around sharply, bending him forward over the sink with a fistful of his hair. He's beautiful like this, bright and pliant.</p><p>"Is that what you want?" Souji breathes softly in his ear as he leans up against his back, a hand down to line himself up already. The idea of Yosuke being sore from him, from <em>this</em>, as he goes back home, is thrilling. "You want to be mine?"</p><p>Yosuke groans, spreading his thighs, so eager he can barely see the mirror in front of him.</p><p><em>Oh. </em>The mirror.</p><p>Yosuke looks at himself, want written all over his red face, Souji holding his head by the hair, and thinks... he looks pretty good like this. It's a surge of confidence, not only seeing Souji's hungry face behind him, but also how he himself looks when he's being manhandled and played with.</p><p>"Yours," he gasps, looking back instead of through the mirror, regardless. "Please... sir."</p><p>Oh, <em>that </em>is exciting. Souji laughs, kissing Yosuke’s shoulder, following the kiss with a soft bite. He hasn't noticed the mirror, not really, too enamored with the body in front of him, as he leans back and holds Yosuke’s hips, eyes darkening as he looks over the marks on his back.</p><p>But then there's more pressing matters, like nudging Yosuke’s thighs further open and pressing the head of his cock where he's hottest, a soft sound and a flicker of need across his face. He licks his lips and takes hold of Yosuke’s hips again, before pulling him back and down onto his cock.</p><p>Yosuke cries out, voice reverberating on the tile, as he's filled all at once. So much for going slow; luckily, once seemed to be enough, and now his body is ready for it.<em> The vagina is stretchy</em>, he recalls, sex ed or the internet or something. He wonders how far Souji could stretch him.</p><p>Slowly he pulls away, resistance in the friction between them and Souji's guiding hands, before pushing himself back again with a delirious moan. Oh, yes. He can manage this.</p><p>"<em>Sir</em>," he says again, moving forward before slamming himself back. "Ah—M...Master? Or..." He licks his lips. "D...<em>daddy,</em> even? Pick your poison,<em> bocchan</em>."</p><p>Souji laughs, and squeezes his hips tightly. "Anything you want, minus the last one," he says as he fucks into him. "I get called bocchan all the time."</p><p>But this angle is good, like this, buried deep and heavy. And Yosuke is learning so well, to shove back against him so fluidly. They have a rhythm, and it's theirs, only theirs.</p><p>"You like this, don't you?" With Yosuke moving so fluidly, Souji can free a hand to fist in his hair again, yanking his head back, an uncomfortable tense angle, but delicious to watch the shape of his back, his spine.</p><p>Yosuke whimpers, eyes squeezing shut, muscles clamping down around Souji's cock. "<em>Yes</em>," he gasps, hands tight on the edge of the sink. "Yes, sir, <em>please</em>... m-more..." <em>Master </em>and <em>Daddy </em>certainly have their merits, and he thinks he might try them out some other time, but <em>sir </em>feels natural. He's the subordinate. Souji's his superior. Outside of calling him Seta-sama, it's the best Yosuke's got.</p><p>...<em>Master</em> is good though. Yosuke tucks that away in particular. Maybe Souji's name in his phone... assuming he gets Souji's number.</p><p>"...Use me," Yosuke grunts, pulling a little, just to feel the tightness of the hand in his hair. "Use me like I'm your <em>toy</em>."</p><p>Souji laughs, and fucks into him harder, more. God, he's so tight, and fine, slick and drag enough to make the friction <em>hotter</em>. He pulls Yosuke back, a hand reaching around to the front of him, to shove his fingers in his mouth. Yosuke whines, low in his throat, eagerly sucking and licking almost immediately.</p><p>And only then does Souji catch sight of them in the mirror, and he grins brightly, thoroughly enjoying the bright need on Yosuke's face, the slits of his eyes, the pleasure making his face hot. God, he's beautiful like this, <em>beautiful</em>, and Souji feels his chest tighten. <strike>He's fucked. </strike></p><p>Yosuke's blind to the mirror, now, eyes barely open, vision foggy from tears that he's all too happy to be shedding. It's so fucking <em>good</em>. He's always preferred the rough porn genre, always thought, well, <em>maybe </em>if he got with someone who happened to have a cock... Always thought he’d have too much penis envy to handle it, but <em>maybe...</em></p><p>And here he is. Rough fucking. His cunt is sore and aching and his back is bent awkwardly and Souji's fingering his mouth and it's so, <em>so</em> good. He wants this for as long as Souji will let him have it.</p><p>And Souji wants <em>more</em>, wants to fuck Yosuke until he can't even walk anymore. His fingers in Yosuke's mouth, adequately slobbered, slip down his front to his clit, to squeeze it between the sides of his fingers, before roughly rubbing at him. He wants that same insane tightness as before, when Yosuke had clamped down on him hard enough to make Souji's vision blank out.</p><p>"You're going to come for me, aren't you?" he hisses into Yosuke's ear, voice strained by all of this, movement and friction and how close he is to his own end, already. "Like a good little thing." He groans, closer. "Like a good little toy."</p><p>Yosuke lets out a whining keen, unable to get away from the intensity of it—if he backs up, he's impaled on Souji's cock. Forward, and his clit is squeezed. It's maddening in only the best way, and he rocks into it, back and forth, building up to a beautiful crescendo. Souji's words in his ear are the final nail in the coffin; Yosuke slams back on his cock, a strangled cry leaving him, coming blindingly hard. His legs shake from the force of it, and his knees buckle as soon as it's over.</p><p>Souji is anticipating—hoping for—as much, and catches him easily, fucking into him as best he can with Yosuke vice-tight around his cock, and it's only a fraction of a second longer before he's coming inside him again, a pained gasp, almost falling forward, catching himself on the sink at the last moment, propping them both aloft.</p><p>God. Even if Yosuke doesn't take his offer, Souji needs to keep in touch with him. Find some way to secret him into the compound every fucking day so they can keep this up.</p><p>Panting, Souji laughs again, resting his face against Yosuke's shoulder. "Fuck."</p><p>Yosuke is practically wheezing from the exertion, breath hard and heavy as he leans into the sink. Then he laughs too, broken and strained; "Good for you, too?" he croaks, reaching back with one hand to touch Souji's face. "I... I had a good time..." Another little laugh, and he hangs his head, panting.</p><p>"...I'm gonna need your number," he says after a moment, shivering. "I mean... you want nudes to tide you over until I make my decision, right?"</p><p>Souji nuzzles his shoulder a little, another soft little laugh. "Not just nudes. I want to see you again no matter what you decide."</p><p>He'll figure out a way to make it work. Somehow.</p><p>He straightens, carefully letting go of Yosuke once he's sure he won't fall, hands back down to his hips, a soft little grind against him just because. "But yes. Your number. And I'll give you mine, of course."</p><p>Yosuke gasps at the grind, cheeks already burning from Souji's words. He wants to see him again...! This is going so well, and to think how it came to be... He shivers again, rolling his backside against Souji, still braced on the sink. Then he reaches down, between his legs, fingers tracing the edges of his hole and where Souji still is. "God, you make such a mess of me," he mutters, delighted. His muscles are taut around Souji; he couldn't squeeze anything else in there if he tried.</p><p>At least, not yet...</p><p>"And I'm gonna make a mess of the floor, when you pull out," he adds with a sigh.</p><p>Souji hums. "Don't worry about that," he says, petting over Yosuke’s hips. With the haze of want gone, the marks on his skin look worse. He has that cream; he'll work it into his skin after they're cleaned up.</p><p>"...We should probably shower properly though. And I need to check in and see how things are progressing."</p><p>He'll rinse off, dress, and go see if he can get an update. From there they'll see what happens. But he makes no move to pull out of Yosuke, another slow grind just for the feel of it.</p><p>"Another shower?" Yosuke groans, shifting his hips back against Souji. "If you get hard, just do me in there, okay? Then we can clean up immediately." He laughs at that, though the idea is alluring...</p><p>Finally, he pushes himself up a bit, pulling slightly away from Souji. "I mean... you can just... do that whenever, really. I think I'd be okay with that. Just take me when you want, you know?" He chuckles, huffs. "I like feeling wanted." So many discoveries about himself today. What else will Souji teach him?</p><p>Souji hums, and without further ado, drags out of him, a grunt at the lingering tightness. With a hand still on his hip, he leans over to turn the shower on again, then nudges Yosuke to follow him in.</p><p>"I'm going to rinse, and then dress and check on things. Keep your shirt off. I'll put the cream on you once I'm back," he says as he makes quick work of rinsing himself off. Done, he turns to catch Yosuke in a kiss, quick, pressing, demanding, before stepping out and grabbing a towel.</p><p>To dress in his same yukata, and preserve the illusion of nothing happening, or to change into something new? Decisions, decisions. Finally he decides that showing his hand this quickly would be a mistake, and he takes down the yukata still hanging here where he'd left it. It's quick, practiced work to dress in it, keep the collars aligned and everything neat and tidy, surprisingly difficult, all things considered. As he finishes tying the obi behind his back, he looks back over to Yosuke in the shower, a little reassuring smile.</p><p>"I'll be back in a bit. Stay in here."</p><p>Yosuke watches, eyes wide and posture curious, intrigued. He nods, once, wondering what's going through Souji's mind... what he could possibly be thinking. He's so mysterious, and Yosuke loves that about him.</p><p>Woah there.</p><p>Okay, <em>love </em>is a bit of a strong word, isn't it? They just met <em>today</em>, and Souji is so many leagues above Yosuke... Flushed, he turns his attention to the shower, carefully washing himself. He hadn't showered the night before, too raw; now, he properly cleans his hair and face, as well as sneakily grabbing the shower head to wash between his legs before putting it back where it belongs.</p><p>When he's done, he pulls his underwear on, grimacing at how wet it feels. Pants can wait... He leans against the sink, eyeing himself in the mirror. His sharp jaw (very proud of that), freckled shoulders, damp hair... the beautiful marks on his collar and chest... oh, he likes those a lot.</p><p>Meanwhile, Souji lets himself out of the room, tabi-socks quiet along the hardwood, back through the winding identical passageways of the compound. This is a defense, same as that in any castle, a hope to prevent invasion by its labyrinthine passages, its secret ways, its many identical doors.</p><p>His father's shatei-gashira is in the hall leading to the audience room, and gives Souji a mocking salute as he comes down the hall. The shatei-gashira makes a low gesture, family-specific signs mixed in with the rest, silence to protect their conversation from the thin walls. <em>They're not done yet.</em></p><p>Souji grimaces at him, a gesture in response.<em> How long?</em></p><p>The shatei-gashira shrugs, a disgusted frown that says more than his next gesture. <em>As long as it takes</em>. Then: <em>A few more hours at least. Waka-gashira is there. Renegotiation.</em></p><p>Souji bites back a sigh, a glare at the door that ears him a little knowing grin and a muffled guffaw from the shatei-gashira.</p><p>The shatei-gashira looks him over, a knowing smirk. <em>How's the daughter?</em></p><p><em>Son,</em> Souji replies with a frown.</p><p>The shatei-gashira gives him a confused look, and Souji gestures again, irritation bristling. <em>Son.</em></p><p>The shatei-gashira shrugs. <em>One of the little brothers will come for him later.</em></p><p>Souji nods, and leaves.</p><p>He isn't sure how this will work out in the long run, for himself or for Yosuke, but whatever happens will happen. If the other members of the house are involved now, if renegotiations are happening, then things are more complicated than Souji knows.</p><p>And he <em>hates </em>being left out of the conversation.</p><p>It's a distinctly less pleased Souji that lets himself back into his bedroom.</p><p>Yosuke is sitting in front of the stereo system again, happily listening to his music in his underwear when Souji returns. He looks to him with a smile, only for his expression to fall when he sees the sour expression on the other’s face. He slowly pushes himself to his feet, walking hesitantly towards Souji, and there's an entire dialogue in his walk:</p><p>
  <em>I know you can be violent, and I'm used to violence. I like you, though, so I'm afraid of you being cruel to me. Please don't be.</em>
</p><p>"Souji?" he asks, voice soft, no longer the forced low pitch from before.</p><p>Souji looks up at him, a little sharply, before he melts again, shoulders sinking, irritation fading to worry.</p><p>"They're still talking," he says quietly. "It will be a while still." He glances at the stereo, and there's that sense of things being charming again, of Yosuke being sweet and wonderful in his ignorance of how things work, for how comfortable he's made himself here.</p><p>"Let me get the cream for your back," he says softly, a hand to his shoulder.</p><p>Yosuke nods, wanting to fold himself against Souji's chest and stay there as long as he can, but resisting the urge, lest it be unwanted. Especially while Souji is in his yukata... Probably doesn't want the stink of his new fucktoy on that.</p><p>Still... "I don't mind staying here with you," he says softly, and in some ways his perception is so simple; it may as well just be their parents arguing, so he gets to sleep over at Souji's while they work it out, or something. Where would his dad go, though? Surely they'd also stop for sleep. He doesn't know, can't know.</p><p>Souji nods. "Good. It's safest for you here, for now," he says quietly, moving away from Yosuke with a soft squeeze of his shoulder.</p><p>"It's unlikely, but I may be called for dinner," he says as he comes back out of the bathroom with a simple glass jar, stoppered with cork. He goes to one of the seats, pulling it away from the low table, and pats his lap as he sits. "In that case, you'll need to stay here."</p><p>Souji's lap! Yosuke is immediately obedient, hurrying to Souji's side before hesitating, just a bit. The yukata... and his wet underwear... Souji seems to think it's fine, though, so Yosuke sits, wanting to press his back up against Souji but knowing that's counterproductive while he's trying to soothe his back, specifically. </p><p>"I can do that," he says easily, not even wondering where <em>he's</em> going to get dinner, at least not for the moment. Souji knows what's going on and will instruct him as needed, and Yosuke will show him he's good at this... even if he still doesn't know what decision to make.</p><p>Yosuke’s blatant eagerness quiets the rest of the strain in Souji's mind. Can he keep him, like this? Forever? Ignorant of the family's ways, but kept and quiet and his to fuck and play with as he wants? His little toy, forever?</p><p>Souji pats his knee again, a little smirk. "I think you need to lay on my lap, for me to do this right, ne," he says, voice liquid and thick with amusement.</p><p>Yosuke flushes, nods. Whatever Souji wants... He repositions himself, laying across Souji's legs, backside open to him. There’s an inherent excitement to the vulnerable position, and he wiggles a little.</p><p>"Be still," Souji says softly, still amused. Then he scoops a few fingerfuls of the cream and puts the jar aside where he can reach it.</p><p>"It will be cold." That's the only warning he gives as he scrapes the dollops of cream off onto Yosuke’s back, over the heaviest of the marks. With the heel of his palm and his fingertips, he begins to work the cream into his skin. The cream is thick, and it shouldn't sting, just cool lanolin to ease the marks and help it heal quickly.</p><p>It's nice. Calming, quiet. And Yosuke agrees; Souji tending to him, caring for him, the quiet hum of his music across the room, the feel of his heartbeat hard against Souji's leg... he feels relaxed. He sighs, content, closing his eyes and allowing himself to simply <em>be</em>. Maybe nothing is planned right now... maybe just this, the care, the tenderness. He has no idea what's going on past the door; there's only this, now.</p><p>Of course, there's no way for them to know what's going on. Souji would have liked to have eavesdropped, but his father's shatei-gashira in the hall—likely explicitly to keep him or anyone else from overhearing—kept that from happening.</p><p>So now, limbo, and waiting, and the discomfort of anticipation.</p><p>And Yosuke is a beautiful distraction from all that.</p><p>The cream is thick, so it takes some time and effort to work it into his skin, careful as to not hurt him. It takes time, and it feels nice in a new, unexpected way. To listen to this music, to carefully make sure every mark is laden with cream, to work the cream in until all that remains is a slight gloss to his skin. It takes time, and Souji's free hand rests on the middle of Yosuke's back, feeling his chest rise and sink with his breath. Yosuke's nearly asleep, in all honesty.</p><p>Then his phone, still in his pants pocket, buzzes against the floor.</p><p>Yosuke peels his eyes open, taking stock of where he is before looking dreamily up at Souji. "All done?" he asks, a little yawn. Sleep was hard the night before, with the pain he was in. It feels easier now... this gentle moment between the two of them, a blossoming feeling of warmth in Souji’s presence.</p><p>And god, if Yosuke isn’t beautiful, so soft and trusting the way that he is. Reckless. “All done,” Souji says, a little smile. “You’re welcome to sleep, though.”</p><p>Yosuke yawns again, then pushes himself up, resituating until he's sitting astride Souji's legs, leaning up against him, head on his shoulder. This is where he wants to rest, at least until Souji wants him again. He doesn't know how long it'll be tenable—he may be moved to the futon—but Souji is being so good to him... maybe it's alright...?</p><p>He decides to check his phone later, not thinking about his mother, or Teddie, both worried about what had happened to him and his father.</p><p>Souji slings his arms around Yosuke easily, a hand up to the back of his neck, the other around his hips, and sighs softly. "You can rest," he says gently.</p><p>They're stuck here. And as much as Souji wants to just fuck him silly again and again and again, a part of his mind is busy thinking over what is going on in that forbidden room. He hates it: hates being told he can't be a part of these things, hates being treated like a child. He's sixteen, and he's his father's heir, and it is <em>pointless </em>to keep him out of these things.</p><p>Maybe Chichi-ue will demand the elder Hanamura's pinkie finger in payment. Wouldn't that be something.</p><p>Yet Yosuke is in pure bliss. He's never been held like this, or at least, not since he was <em>very </em>small. As he grew, very much not a typical daughter and emulating his father to try and be masculine, affection came less and less. He got smacked more often than not: upside the head, his cheek, his rear. It had been easy enough then, but things got worse... his father got fed up, got harsher and harsher as Yosuke continued to defy him, infuriated with how his father shunned him at every turn. <em>Youko </em>this and <em>Youko </em>that.</p><p>Hands were made for fists, for breaking and beating. Having them so gentle, like this...</p><p>And Teddie, he was spared all of that, but Yosuke knew the orphanage had been hell for him. How Teddie emerged from that with a smile on his face will always be a wonder. He would hold Yosuke, at times, when the pressure was too much and he broke down crying. It wasn't this, though, and half the time Yosuke recoiled anyway.</p><p>He allows it here, with Souji.</p><p>Eyes half-opening, Yosuke slides his hand up Souji's chest, to his neck, his jaw.</p><p><em>Is</em> this love? It's <em>something</em>, if it isn't love. </p><p>Souji feels an obligation here, a binding tie that is in no way unwelcome. He wants this, this forbidden softness, these gentle forbiddances, with this person who does not understand that the very actions he takes and the things he says are all wrong, so charming in his straightforwardness.</p><p>Souji keeps petting over him. "You're going to be stiff if you sleep like this," he says softly. "Come, you can lay in the bed." After a moment, he adds, "I'll sit with you."</p><p>Yosuke nods, slowly extracting himself from Souji to stand, unsteady on his legs for a moment before he goes to the futon, kneeling down on the edge before flopping down on his back, staring up at the ceiling. One arm is cast over his stomach, the other stretched above his head, and he thinks idly about everything that's happened and everything that might happen next.</p><p>Part of him still craves it... the rough, almost violent sex, being used and abused; he wants to have that, to be given a purpose he is wholly devoted to. Yet another part lingers in the softness... Gentle touches and kisses, passionate maybe, Souji focusing on him with those sweet words and that slick tongue...</p><p>He looks at Souji, curious, sleepy, adoring, as Souji comes to the bed, kicking a pillow into place, before sitting on top of the covers. Next to the bed is a book, in a cloth protector, that he takes up, holding up in the air. At least he can read something while they wait. He pats his thigh, looking over at Yosuke.</p><p>"Come on," he says softly. "Come get comfortable. I'll wake you if we're needed."</p><p>Yosuke happily complies, laying his head in Souji's lap and allowing himself to relax, be comfortable. Just the softness... rest, too, god knows he needs it. His eyelids feel heavy...</p><p>It's not long before his breath evens out, chest steadily rising and falling, one arm loose around Souji's hips. </p><p>He dreams about Souji fucking into him, but telling him he loves him, and it’s heaven. They’ve known each other forever, in a thousand lifetimes, and this is only the newest. </p><p>Souji sighs.</p><p>There's nothing he can do right now but wait. So wait he does. He reads, and when that gets boring, he just watches Yosuke sleep. He traces what the freckles he can see on his shoulders with his eyes. He pets through his hair delicately, and, when that doesn't seem to wake him, with more gentle touches.</p><p>It's several hours later when a maid comes, and Souji slips out from underneath Yosuke's head, to answer the door. She calls him away, and bids her to wait while he leaves a little note.</p><p>
  <em>I've gone to attend to things. I'll be back as soon as I can. There's a tray of food outside the door. Don't leave the room otherwise.</em>
</p><p>And then he's gone.</p><p>Yosuke awakes a while after the space where Souji had been has already gone cold. He runs his hand over the bedspread, wondering, before spotting the note. He sits up as he reads it, a little flutter in his chest at the idea that Souji felt it prudent to leave such a thing. So sweet...</p><p>Yosuke drops his arm over his lifted knee, staring at nothing in particular. Now what?</p><p>Eventually he gets up, peeking out the door before quickly taking the tray of food and bringing it inside. He's hungrier than he'd have thought, and scarfs it down, wondering if Souji is eating too. Or maybe dealing with his father... How long can something like this take? What are they doing to Hanamura Shigeru?</p><p>That done, Yosuke sips some juice before heading to his discarded pants and fishing out his phone. Ah, of course... mom, mom, Teddie, mom, Teddie, Teddie... on it goes. They get on well, so it's a little weird that they both kept trying—or maybe they thought one would have success where the other didn't? He opens his phone and chooses a Teddie text to respond to.</p><p>
  <em>im OK. made a frend. might hav 2 stay th nite?</em>
</p><p>Teddie is apparently on high alert, because he texts back quickly:</p><p>
  <em>hows ur back?</em>
</p><p>Yosuke smiles. Of course Teddie is worried about that.</p><p>
  <em>betr. frend helpd.</em>
</p><p>It's a minute or so before he gets another text, and the worry is palpable.</p><p>
  <em>ur mom is worried sick yosK. wheres ur dad? what r they doing 2 him?</em>
</p><p>So Yosuke texts back:</p><p>
  <em>idk. hes in troble. let me off th hook tho.</em>
</p><p>And,</p><p>
  <em>im sure itll be OK. tell mom im in good hands.</em>
</p><p>He sighs, putting his phone down on the bed. If only Souji was actually here...</p><p>The night wears on.</p><p>It is long past dark when Souji returns. His yukata is sweated through, his hair dark at the roots. He lets himself into his room silently, barely a look at Yosuke, or anything else for that matter, heading straight into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.</p><p>After a moment the sound of the shower comes, but before that, the sound of retching, the flush of the toilet.</p><p>The silence, and the sounds of a body washing.</p><p>...Yosuke doesn't know what to do.</p><p>He knows so little. Involved as the Junes empire is with the yakuza, he's kept his nose out of it, too bothered with his own situations, his issues. His father advised as much, anyway, until he started getting older—then he seemed more invested in Yosuke knowing what was going on. Ah, but the heir thing didn't work out. Back into the dark.</p><p>So Yosuke has no idea what happened, or why it took so long, or why Souji seems so affected. It scares him, though, enough so that he curls up on the futon to wait it out, unsure of what to do or what to even say...</p><p>What happened to his dad?</p><p>When Souji comes out, wrapped only in a towel, still dripping wet, he looks directly at Yosuke.</p><p>As if reading his mind (or just the obvious question), he says, voice low and a little rough, "Your father is fine."</p><p>That said, he moves to kneel on the edge of the futon. "There were... renegotiations. Threats made. The like."</p><p>It's the part he hates, more than blood: the slick taste of fear in the air, the slow breaking down of a man into something little more than a quivering animal, all from nothing more than words delivered in Seta Satoru's quiet affectionless voice.</p><p>"But he's fine. They've finished for the night, but your father is the house's guest for now. They'll finish in the morning, and when they're done, you're free to go home." Maybe if Souji weren't so shaken he would have been more careful with his words.</p><p>Yosuke has questions, but he feels they're not his to say; the change in Souji's demeanor is palpable, and he simply looks up at the other with wide eyes, questioning silently. <em>Why are you so...?</em> In the dark as he is, he can’t fathom the reason for the shift. He wants the other Souji back, the one who caresses his hair or fucks him breathless. This one,<em> Souji-bocchan</em>, is in the thick of his "job" and doesn't seem the type to wind down like that.</p><p>Will he still sleep here, let Yosuke curl into him? Funny, how that's his main focus, but if his father's fine, then...</p><p>Not that his relationship with his father is good. Or even bordering on good. There’s little affection there, just a lifetime of disappointment on both sides, barely bit-back insults and clenched fists.</p><p>Souji takes a slow, careful, metered breath. And then another. He feels like he's almost vibrating under his skin.</p><p>"Were you able to rest at all...?" he asks, shifting focus in an instant. His eyes are unblinking as they stare at Yosuke, the new focus of his attention, again. "Did I wake you as I left? Did you—" He looks over, to the tray there, and nods. "You ate. Good."</p><p>"...I slept for a while," Yosuke finally says, relaxing just a little. "I didn't wake up until after you were gone... I ate, I texted Teddie, and..." Waited. "...just kinda hung out." Played stupid games on his phone for a bit, listened to some music, daydreamed about Souji. Things like that.</p><p>He wants to touch Souji. Wants to gently rub his arm or caress his cheek. Suddenly he's worried about boundaries, though, and hangs back, on the off chance it's unwarranted. He reads body language a lot to keep himself safe, and Souji's stiff shoulders make him wary.</p><p>Souji nods, and rubs his face. He won't be able to sleep like this. He opens his mouth to ask, then snaps it shut. There's a strangeness to his vulnerability now. He can't be vulnerable. He has to be what he always is.</p><p>He stands, going to a closet to dress, dark western clothes, and looks down at Yosuke, tossing a shirt at him. "Get dressed. We're going for a walk."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Snap</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yosuke finally goes home, but not for long.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wanted to space these updates out more, but I also feel like this chapter is when the story proper starts picking up, so I may as well toss it up as well. I have a few more that need revising but a lot of it is ready to be put together and posted. </p>
<p>Anyway, you guys ready to have Yosuke utterly broken????</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yosuke takes the shirt in hand, a brief look over it before he pulls it over his head. Then he climbs to his feet, fetching his pants and pulling them on. Demands are easy enough to follow, although part of him is afraid he's about to be killed where no one will find him. No... Souji wouldn't do that. Right? Not to him, anyway. He hopes...</p>
<p>He watches Souji carefully once he's ready, prepared to follow after him, even though he's really not sure what to expect.</p>
<p>Souji leads him out quietly, closing the door behind them. He leads Yosuke through another labyrinth of identical hallways behind identical doors, until suddenly they're in another tatami-floored hallway, another set of long glass windows showing only darkness beyond. From here, a left, and then a small alcove with a proper door, and a few dozen pairs of shoes set into the wall. Souji takes a pair, glances down at Yosuke's feet, and grabs another to drop in front of him without a word.</p>
<p>The door opens, and they're outside.</p>
<p>There's no lights, so it takes a moment for their eyes to adjust. Once they do, they can see that this is a wide lawn, ending in the distance in a high wall on two sides, hedged in by the building on another two. There's trees between the lawn and the building, a small pond making some soft little sound, and then only the dark. Souji leads Yosuke down the few rickety wooden steps and out into the grass, heading for the little pond.</p>
<p>Yosuke hurries along after him, wanting to do any number of things that will confirm everything is okay between them. Can they even do such things, in places where they could be seen? Would Souji flinch away if Yosuke tried to hold his hand? It's so easy when he obviously has interest, but now, distant and silent... With anyone else, he simply would guard himself right back. This is different, though. This is someone he knows to be soft, at times, but with a lifestyle that requires being hard, too... He doesn't blame Souji. He just wishes he understood better.</p>
<p>He misses earlier, sleeping against him, being touched by him. Will he get that back? Today has been so strange...</p>
<p>Through the dark Souji leads him, his feet sure on these grounds. This part of the compound he knows better than the back of his own hand, the same with the rest. He leads Yosuke to the pond, to a little bench beside it.</p>
<p>There's nothing to see but the dark. There's no lights out here, but Souji sits easily, facing the pond, silent. Yosuke sits warily about a foot away.</p>
<p>After a long moment, Souji speaks, his voice the same softness as it had been in private. "I like to come here at night. It's quiet."</p>
<p>Yosuke finds himself relaxing immensely at the tone of his voice. Enough so, in fact, that he scoots closer, leaning up against Souji, head on his shoulder.</p>
<p>"It's nice," he says, eyes slowly adjusting, enough so to see the ripples on the surface of the pond. "I like it."</p>
<p>It's too dark for anyone else to see anything. So Souji shifts a little, enough to wrap an arm around him, hand falling to Yosuke's hip.</p>
<p>"No one comes out here at night," he says. He leans a little more against him. How can he let Yosuke go back to his normal life like this? There's such a comfort to having him by his side, bright and warm and pliant against him. "So it's peaceful."</p>
<p>Yosuke feels content and comfortable, and wonders if it would be worth it, trading everything he knows for this instead. He has to be smarter than that, though. He's only known Souji for a day. And, who knows? Maybe there will be other guys like him, guys who don't terrify the piss out of him half the time.</p>
<p>...but Yosuke doesn't want other guys. He wants Souji.</p>
<p>He thinks back to earlier. Souji's been with people, surely... no one his age at the compound, but elsewhere, maybe? Or... older? The thought occurs to him so suddenly that it makes his cheeks go red. He might have to ask... Still, right now, he wonders. How many people have seen this place? Or even... this side of Souji?</p>
<p>"I like this," Yosuke says softly. "I like <em>you</em>."</p>
<p>Souji looks down at him, and smiles, though it's too dark really to see much of anything of him, just a vague shape of his face, a shine catching in his eyes.</p>
<p>For his duty as heir, he has to wear a façade, constantly. But being with Yosuke, somehow, he doesn't need to. It felt right from those first few moments to just be with him, to stop the pretense, to just let him in. And now that he's done so, he doesn't want to stop.</p>
<p>"I like you too," he says easily. He turns his face back out at the pond. "I really do want to see you again. After all of this. Even if you don't accept my offer."</p>
<p>Yosuke nuzzles against Souji's shoulder, a hand out to touch his thigh. "I... I want that too. A lot," he murmurs. "I... I need to think for a little bit. About your offer. But I'll stay in touch..." He hesitates, fingers tapping against Souji's leg, stimming he doesn't realize he's doing. "I like being yours. I don't want to have to stop."</p>
<p>Souji nods. Yosuke's hand on his thigh is wonderful, relaxing, a reminder that he's here with him. "I don't want to let you go," he says, and it's the truth.</p>
<p>He's so fucked.</p>
<p>Yosuke sighs, then turns more towards Souji, a hand up to his chest. "You must be tired," he says, thinking, rather greedily, about how he'd like to fuck at least one more time before morning.</p>
<p>"I'm tired, but I'm awake too." Souji reaches up to catch his hand, pressing it closer over his chest. "I have to be up early tomorrow, in case Chichi-ue needs me."</p>
<p>He might just stay up. At this point it's what, a few hours? "Come here, in my lap."</p>
<p>Yosuke perks up, then pulls himself into Souji's lap eagerly, facing him. The energy about him is so intense, you can almost <em>feel </em>the wagging tail. He's delighted.</p>
<p>Who knew he'd love something like this so much... certainly not him. He just feels so desired, so <em>wanted</em>. Souji makes him feel like he's worth something. It's a dangerous and unhealthy position to be in, but Yosuke is blinded by how good it feels.</p>
<p>Close like this, Souji still can't see much of him, but it's thrilling in a particular way. He leans up to kiss Yosuke's neck, a hand slipping up under his shirt.</p>
<p>Somehow, he thinks Yosuke won't mind being touched like this out of the blue, and he’s right.</p>
<p>Yosuke bites his lip, eyes closed (for all that it matters), skin jumping under Souji's touch. He moves his head to offer more of his neck, body already burning from the thought of any number of things that might happen here, in the dark. Not that he doesn't like seeing Souji...</p>
<p>Souji slips the borrowed shirt up, lowering his head to kiss over Yosuke’s chest.</p>
<p>"Your skin is so beautiful," he murmurs. His free hand spreads over his chest, his ribs, to his back, just to touch, just to feel his skin under his hands.</p>
<p>He hopes, more than anything, that they'll have more time than just this.</p>
<p>Yosuke lets out a soft sound, carefully wrapping his arms around Souji's shoulders, breath coming a little faster. It feels so good, physically <em>and </em>emotionally, and he wants so much for it to never stop.</p>
<p>"You're incredible," he breathes, back arching slightly.</p>
<p>Souji leans in to flick his tongue over Yosuke's nipple, following that with teeth. "It's you," he murmurs. "You make me crazy. I don't know what I'm going to do after you leave."</p>
<p>There's no way he says that to everyone, right? Yosuke gasps, back arching further, begging for more—not just the teeth on his nipple, but the words, too.</p>
<p>"...I'll, I'll come over as often as you want," he says, a little stutter in his voice. "Or... you could even... come get me? I've been trying to save up for a motorcycle, maybe... maybe if I get one, I can just drive over..." He wants solutions that aren't <em>I'll accept your offer,</em> though it's still a possibility... Living with Souji, at his beck and call...</p>
<p>Souji shakes his head, and drags his tongue up over Yosuke’s nipple. His hand finds his hip and squeezes there. "I can't leave the compound," he says, voice starting to go breathless. He takes more of Yosuke’s skin in his teeth, nipple included, and bites, soft at first, then enough to set into a mark, letting go with a gasp.</p>
<p>Yosuke whimpers, a hand up to Souji's hair, tangling. "Then I'll come to you," he gasps. "I'll—I'll find a way. I... I <em>need </em>you."</p>
<p>Souji nods. He needs him too. Somehow, over the past few hours, this has become something solid and real and he can't imagine living without him.</p>
<p>A little grind against Souji, against what Yosuke can feel growing there.<em> He'll find a way. </em>And someday, Souji will lead the Seta clan, and he can do whatever he wants, and they'll always be together, surely.</p>
<p>Yosuke’s grinding on top of him is taking away any ability to think. Souji licks over his nipple again, letting go of his shirt to hold onto his hips with both hands and push him down as his hips rock up against him. "You're mine," he murmurs into his skin.</p>
<p>Yosuke whines, hugging Souji's head against his chest, the heat between his legs already near overwhelming. "Yours," he whimpers, rolling his hips in Souji's grip, all other thoughts slowly being pushed aside by his blinding need. "I'm—I belong to you," he adds, panting. "Yours, yours..."</p>
<p>This is insane. It's completely insane, and Souji knows it's insane. But there's nothing he can do about it except give in. There's nothing he wants to do about it but give in.</p>
<p>These stupid tight pants of Yosuke's have to go. He leans up to bite at his neck as his hands slip open his jeans, and he guides him up and off his lap, trusting Yosuke to get his pants out of the way as Souji opens his own.</p>
<p>Maybe once Yosuke is here, he can have him trained to wear yukata. No need for pants. He can fuck him anywhere like that. God!</p>
<p>Yosuke pushes his pants down around his thighs, underwear too, shivering as the cool night air touches his thoroughly soaked cunt. Then he puts his arms around Souji's shoulders again, waiting for his permission to sit down, impale himself on Souji's cock. Mostly-clothed sex... that's a possibility he'd only briefly considered the first time, when Souji was still dressed, and he wasn't. Now they're both clothed, and Yosuke finds he likes it.</p>
<p>Not that being naked with Souji isn't just as good... skin slick with sweat, sliding together... God, he never wants this to end.</p>
<p>Souji pulls himself out, and reaches for Yosuke, to guide him onto his lap. There's something so desperate about this, about being fully clothed, out here in the cool dark, the quiet sounds of outside, too needy to even make the walk back inside. It's a need, like they're both starving for this. And maybe they are.</p>
<p>Yosuke comes near, and once Souji's got his cock slicked and lined up, he grabs his hips to push him down, hard and fast, looking up at his face with an expression of pure possessiveness. Yosuke is <em>his</em>, damn it. Inside and out.</p>
<p>A hand flies up, knuckle between Yosuke’s teeth to muffle the sound that shoots out of him when Souji is all the way inside all at once. This angle is different from the one at the sink, and it feels <em>deeper</em>, hitting harder.</p>
<p>He feels like such a slut, like this, craving the cock of a boy he's just met, and he <em>loves </em>it. Like how he might love Souji. A terrifying thought, but in the moment he's infatuated with it, as infatuated as he is with being taken so possessively. For someone who was a virgin this time yesterday, Yosuke sure learns fast.</p>
<p>It's up to him, now, isn't it? Yosuke slowly lifts his hips, lowering his hand down to Souji's shoulder, then slams back down with a soft, hard moan.</p>
<p>Souji hangs onto Yosuke’s hips, keeping him in place as he moves, a little gasp escaping him. He's so fucking beautiful, so good, so tight, so eager... Souji's fucked, so thoroughly and entirely fucked. The feeling of Yosuke tight around him, this deepness he can't even begin to think about lest he come right now, the way Yosuke hangs onto him with those fucking sounds––</p>
<p>Sounds. They're going to get caught and––</p>
<p>It doesn't really matter, but this is private, and it's a conversation he doesn't necessarily want to have with anyone, especially not in the middle of this. He reaches up to take hold of Yosuke's throat, a press of his hand there where he can feel his pulse fluttering madly. "Quiet," he breathes, biting back a groan of his own. "Not so loud."</p>
<p>Yosuke gasps, eyes wide, and it's like he's just discovered another new thing about himself, because the feel of Souji's hand around his neck is... <em>exhilarating</em>. He almost wants to make another sound, be defiant, but he knows why they need to be quiet and doesn't want to risk it.</p>
<p>So instead, he reaches up, a hand over Souji's, a little squeeze. "<em>Harder</em>," he hisses, dragging himself up a few inches, clenching his muscles the whole way before pushing back down. Souji doesn't know what he expected, but it wasn't a soft squeeze around his hand, or the way Yosuke twitches around him. Souji's grin is crooked with excitement though, and he squeezes, just a little harder, his other hand up to join.</p>
<p>His grip tightens, vein and throat, restricting blood and airflow. Yosuke trusts him this much, already? <em>That </em>thought, of Yosuke quite literally trusting him with his life while fucking him, sets off another shiver of pleasure. "You're <em>mine</em>," he hisses.</p>
<p>His. <em>His</em>. Only his, wholly, fully, completely. Yosuke's head is swimming, breath barely there, and he drags himself up slowly before slamming back down, more gravity than force. He can't see, can't hear but for Souji's breathing and his own bloodflow in his ears.</p>
<p>It's all so <em>good</em>.</p>
<p>Yosuke reaches up, both hands on Souji's forearms, trembling, and continues to fuck himself on Souji's cock.</p>
<p>Souji can't see, but he can <em>feel</em>. Feel the way Yosuke's trembling fingers touch his arms, feel the way he fucks himself down, again, again, again, the way his head has fallen back. Souji's hands tighten, just a moment, before relaxing enough to let him take a deeper breath, just to tighten again. He can feel his pulse here, hammering against his palms, and it's almost enough to get him to come.</p>
<p>"More," Souji orders. "Come for me."</p>
<p>And that's really all it takes. Yosuke slams himself down, and what would have been a scream is just a little airy hiss. His entire body trembles, thighs and cunt convulsing, toes stretched in his shoes. It's so fucking good. He also feels like he's about to pass out, in the seconds before Souji quickly releases his throat, instead pulling him close, allowing Yosuke to slump against him.</p>
<p>Souji's hands go to Yosuke's hips, moving him a few more times, but it's hardly even necessary with how tight he's clenched around him. It isn't long before he pushes him down and comes inside, face pressed into Yosuke's chest, a sharp little gasp.</p>
<p>He's never come so hard, or so often, in his life. It's insane. This whole fucking thing is insane. For a moment he enjoys that simple bliss of silence, of his mind gone blank in pleasure, that easy and quiet emptiness, his arms slipping up to hug around him.</p>
<p>Yosuke comes back to himself in degrees, slowly becoming aware of the way he's breathing, hard, and the way his pulse is hammering in his ribcage a mile a minute, and the fullness of him as Souji remains inside, plugging him up with his come. He's limp against Souji, trembling, and his throat is dry, and all in all he should probably feel a little less than how amazing he <em>does </em>feel.</p>
<p>He starts to laugh, low, soft, but mirthfully.</p>
<p>"<em>Fuck</em>," he gasps, hands up to weakly cling at Souji's shirt. "Oh my <em>god</em>. I think—" A little swallow, a lick of his lips—"I think you just fucked me <em>stupid</em>." Another laugh. "I can't even... <em>think</em>."</p>
<p>Laughing softly in return, Souji reaches up to take Yosuke’s face in his hands. He leans back and pulls him down into a kiss. It's a soft kiss, a gentle slide of lips against lips, a lap of his tongue against his. Yosuke is warm, and already Souji is addicted to the taste of him.</p>
<p>How is he going to let him leave the compound like this?</p>
<p>Souji has lost his fucking mind, and he knows he has, but it doesn't really matter. What matters is being with Yosuke again. They'll make that work.</p>
<p>...It's going to be a mess getting back to his room. Oh, well. This was wonderful, otherwise.</p>
<p>And Yosuke loves this so much. He loves <em>Souji</em>, and it's so scary to think that, so ridiculous and unfounded, and he has no plans to say it out loud—but he does. This has to be love, what he's feeling.</p>
<p>He kisses back, just as softly, going in for more the moment they part. It feels so good... so natural. <em>His</em>.</p>
<p>"...Should get back, huh?" he mutters against Souji's lips. "Sorry for... turning your quiet place into a sex place." Another little laugh.</p>
<p>Souji laughs a little as well. "I wonder what other places we can convert," he says quietly.</p>
<p>Because Yosuke <em>is </em>coming back. One way or another. The restriction on civilians entering the compound is irrelevant. Souji needs to see Yosuke again. It's that fucking simple.</p>
<p>"We should get back. We need to wash up and rest. I need to eat something, maybe." He strokes over Yosuke's chest, a softness in his touch. "Come on, I can have your clothes sent for washing. They'll be done in a few hours."</p>
<p>Yosuke nods, a little smile in the dark. "Does that mean we can sleep naked together?" he asks, happily. "Or just me? Or maybe I can just wear your shirt..." He sits back, pulling said shirt back down over his torso. He likes it, likes how it feels, how it smells clean and of Souji.</p>
<p>He pulls himself off of Souji, quickly pulling his pants back up to keep anything incriminating from falling to the bench or grass below. It feels kind of gross, but he likes it, all the same; likes how it feels, how it reminds him of what they did.</p>
<p>Before they head back, he grabs Souji's hand, a little squeeze.</p>
<p>"I don't think I'll sleep," Souji says as he squeezes his hand back. "I have to get up early. But I'll lay with you anyway." It might be the last time they have together for a long while.</p>
<p>The idea of Yosuke dripping with him as he guides him back towards his bedroom puts his thoughts back to sex again. He considers, for a moment, fucking him in the shower again, but instead tells him to wash up while he gathers up their clothes. He finds a maid asleep on her arms in the kitchen, a little nudge wakes her and sets her scrambling to do this little bit of laundry for them.</p>
<p>Then he's back, mind already snapped back to work matters.</p>
<p>Yosuke is happy with that, anyway. He washes himself leisurely, stepping out of the shower and toweling himself off near the mirror, so that when he's done he can stand in front of it and admire all his bruises and bitemarks.</p>
<p>He leaves the room without the towel, laying down on the futon naked, content even though Souji seems to have gone back to his stoic, rough side. Yosuke's tired enough that he decides it doesn't matter. He still smiles when he catches Souji's eye, and drifts off easily, dreaming little.</p>
<p>The sun rises far too soon.</p>
<p>Souji showers in silence, dries in silence, and dresses in a fresh yukata in silence. The maid comes, a quiet knock that doesn't rouse Yosuke, with the clothes and a tray of simple cold foods, and leaves without a word.</p>
<p>So he eats what he can stomach, and watches Yosuke sleep, and tries not to seethe.</p>
<p>Then the sun rises, and, shortly thereafter, Souji leaves. There's a note on the low chabudai, along with a fresh covered tray of breakfast (grilled fish, miso, rice, pickles), and Yosuke's washed clothes.</p>
<p>
  <em>I hope you slept well. Do not leave the room for any reason. I will come for you at some point. Be dressed and ready as soon as possible.</em>
</p>
<p>At the bottom of the note is a cell phone number.</p>
<p>Yosuke wakes slowly, stretching and taking in the room around him before sitting up. He dresses just as slowly, happy to have warm, fresh clothes, but a little sad that he's back to his own wardrobe. Oh well. Maybe he can take Souji's shirt sometime, go home with it.</p>
<p>He reads the note as he eats, then adds the number to his phone. <em>Master</em>, it says, with a little heart next to it. It makes him smile.</p>
<p>He unplugs his MP3 player, pocketing it and saying a fond farewell to Souji's sound system. Another day and they'll be together again. He wonders, as he remembers entering the room and seeing it, if Souji had intended to sleep with him from the moment his demeanor had shifted. It's a fun thought.</p>
<p>Then he waits. It's all he can really do.</p>
<p>It's several hours later that Souji returns, clearly furious, but trying to bite it back. His hair is disheveled from running his hands through it, an irritated flush high on his cheeks, his hands in fists. He opens the door, steps in––</p>
<p>And sees Yosuke sitting by the sound system. Something flickers in his expression.</p>
<p>"It's time," he says in a whisper, not trusting himself to speak louder than that.</p>
<p>Yosuke knows something is up, but what? He's still in the dark, and it's as frightening and frustrating as ever, but he'll just have to put up with it. If this is what he chooses—Souji, a life with him—this is just what he'll have to expect.</p>
<p>He quickly stands, hurrying to Souji's side, ready to go. He wants to touch. He doesn't, but he wants to. Souji, however, does. He grabs Yosuke by the head and crowds him up against a wall, pressing up against him tight, kissing him deep, a thigh between his legs to rub against him as his tongue invades his mouth. It's a surprise, and Yosuke's body is all at once hot, the reminder that he's owned welcome every time. He can barely kiss back for all that Souji is taking charge, so he just clings, along for the ride.</p>
<p>"Remember that you're mine," Souji hisses against his lips, hands tight in his hair. "<em>Yosuke</em>."</p>
<p>"<em>Yours</em>," Yosuke agrees, eyes hooded. "S... Souji."</p>
<p>Souji nods, a smaller, softer kiss to end, before stepping back. His hands are quick to readjust Yosuke's clothes, then his own, before leading him out.</p>
<p>Yosuke's father, the senior Hanamura, has been an enormous pain in the ass for everyone involved. He's a coward, a braggart, backwards in his ability to maintain the various restrictions of this deal, despite becoming quite intimate with the cost of failure. But all that is Chichi-ue's problem, not Souji's.</p>
<p>No, Hanamura's constant referrals to his daughter has been wearing on Souji's very last nerve, and after getting read the riot act by both Chichi-ue and the waka-gashira behind closed doors for his inappropriate behavior—a glare, a simple fucking <em>glare!</em>—Souji is out of fucking patience. But he has to be patient. Even if he really does not want to be.</p>
<p>The labyrinth passes quickly, and the shatei-gashira lingering in the hallway outside the audience chamber gives Souji a meaningful stare that Souji flatly—rudely—ignores.</p>
<p>Souji kneels beside the screen door and knocks, and waits, schooling his expression down from fury to quiet controlled stillness. At the tapped signal from within, he opens the door, stands, and gestures Yosuke through.</p>
<p>By the time Yosuke walks through into the chamber, he's managed to go back to a normal complexion, down from the furious flush from Souji's possessive kiss. He doesn't make eye-contact with the person there—the head lieutenant, he thinks, <em>waka-gashira,</em> but he can't be sure and really doesn't know enough—instead bowing low, as he'd been taught.</p>
<p>His father is nowhere in sight. God, is he really okay? Yosuke can’t help the little tinge of worry, oblivious to the things his father’s been saying for the past ridiculous amount of hours.</p>
<p>Souji presses at Yosuke's thigh, a subtle push aside. <em>Go sit over there</em>. He doesn't look at Yosuke, instead going to the waka-gashira, sitting beside him as he'd sat beside his father. His back is straight, a mask of disinterest on his face.</p>
<p>After a few minutes, a different side door opens, and the elder Hanamura comes shuffling through, two of the older brothers flanking him. One of the brothers points to where Yosuke is seated, a forceful nudge against the elder Hanamura's back. He stumbles, but makes his way over, sitting next to Yosuke with a grunt of pain.</p>
<p>"I trust there won't be any further mistakes, Shigeru-kun," the waka-gashira says, his voice quiet.</p>
<p>Yosuke casts a side glance at his father. The horror in his eyes is quickly masked as he looks away, trying to remain polite and cordial and good, because now he cares—now he wants to make a good impression.</p>
<p>Even though he doesn't know the first goddamn thing about what he's doing here.</p>
<p>"No mistakes," Shigeru utters, and he sounds so broken that Yosuke almost feels sorry for him. The slight tip of his head, a bow, like when Yosuke was younger, apologizing to his parents for things he'd done wrong. Maybe it's not even a bow, maybe his dad can't keep his head up properly.</p>
<p>This is <em>his </em>fault. Yosuke swallows, thinking about the marks on his back.</p>
<p>"Then we look forward to a productive and profitable further relationship with you," the waka-gashira says, his voice flat enough to suggest that going forward it had <em>better </em>be a profitable relationship without any further nonsense. The waka-gashira nods at the brothers in the doorway, who approach to lead them out.</p>
<p>Souji cannot help it. He risks the look at Yosuke, meeting his eyes: his brows give a flick of worry, hoping his expression is enough to tell him what he cannot say aloud.</p>
<p>
  <em>Call me. Be careful.</em>
</p>
<p>Yosuke would have winked if he thought he'd not be caught. Instead, just a meaningful look, a hint of a smile, and he's gone.</p>
<p>The waka-gashira only gives Souji a disappointed look, that Souji meets with flat indifference.</p>
<p>"Well, I won't tell you to be careful, waka," the waka-gashira says quietly, but there is an edge of steel there. This is their own version of the floating world, insular and quiet. The compound, and Souji's place in it, are locked to outsiders for a reason. Souji would do well to remember that. In his words is a warning, if Souji will heed it.</p>
<p>Souji will not. He nods respect to the waka-gashira, and returns to his room in quiet to change. The rest of his day will proceed normally: lessons, meals taken with someone else, back under the thumb of the family, to be watched and taught and corralled.</p>
<p>In his free moments, Souji checks his phone. He did not get Yosuke's number after all; he'd only been able to give him <em>his </em>number. Being unable to text him or call him to hear his voice is a powerlessness Souji does not like.</p>
<p>The Hanamuras walk home in silence.</p>
<p>At the very least, Yosuke helps his father climb the steps to their house, and the elder Hanamura actually allows it instead of shrugging him off. Maybe they've both learned something, here. Shigeru doesn't know where his daughter has been, but he hopes she feels some amount of remorse, that she worries for him.</p>
<p>Yosuke... doesn't know what to think. Old feelings stir, though, a love for his father he'd thought forgotten. It's probably unwarranted, but he can't help it: he feels bad.</p>
<p>His mother is aghast when she sees Shigeru. Immediately she is trying to get information out of both him and Yosuke, but Yosuke doesn’t know <em>what</em> happened, and Shigeru refuses to divulge anything. Finally, Yosuke’s mother simply guides her husband towards their bedroom, hopefully to rest.</p>
<p>"How are you, Yosuke?" Teddie asks in his soft voice, putting a hand on Yosuke's shoulder. Yosuke looks in the direction his father went.</p>
<p>"I dunno," he says. "But... I've got a lot to tell you." He nods towards their parents’ bedroom. “Later, okay?”</p>
<p>Yosuke spends most of the day as normal, but for helping his mother tend to his father, who slowly begins to try and do his own duties as well. His mother insists he rest, but Shigeru has been taught enough of a lesson that he doesn't want to do so. He needs to be on top of things.</p>
<p>Yosuke tells Teddie snippets here and there, but his father always seems to be around, so there's little room to talk about what really happened. There's also little space in which to call Souji, but he does shoot him a text:</p>
<p>
  <em>miss u &lt;3</em>
</p>
<p>Not long after he gets that chance, Teddie is in the room with him, a moment of quiet.</p>
<p>"So you didn't get in trouble?"</p>
<p>"No," Yosuke says with a shake of his head. "They said I'm my father's responsibility. My mistakes are his to rectify, and making me apologize was like, the biggest possible mistake he could make."</p>
<p>Teddie raises both eyebrows. "Wow, they told you that?"</p>
<p>Yosuke smiles, a little blush, looking down at his phone. "Um... no. Seta-sama's son did."</p>
<p>Teddie puts both hands to his cheeks, exaggeratedly aghast. "<em>Oh my gosh.</em> Yosuke has a crush on a yakuza?!"</p>
<p>Laughing, Yosuke sets his phone down, feeling genuinely good about the prospect of sharing what's happened. "More than that, Ted. Way more."</p>
<p>The brief text comes in the middle of Souji's financial lesson with one of the brothers. Souji takes up his phone, flatly ignoring the shouting from the brother at the interruption, and smiles.</p>
<p>As the brother comes close to snatch at his phone, Souji shoves him back.</p>
<p>
  <em>I miss you too. Are you well?</em>
</p>
<p>The brother starts yelling at him again, and Souji continues to ignore him as he puts the number into his phone as <em>Yosuke</em>. That done, he decides to take the bright joy in his chest out on the brother who keeps trying to bring his mood down with talk of responsibility, duty, requirement.</p>
<p>The lesson devolves into a spar from there.</p>
<p>Yosuke picks his phone back up in the middle of his story. "Oh, that's him now," he says. "He misses me..."</p>
<p>Teddie, having heard the first bits of Yosuke's saucy tale, is sitting on the bed with his jaw slack. Yosuke was set upon by the son of a yakuza lord and... liked it? Allowed it to progress to wild, frantic sex, the first he'd ever had? Teddie's happy for him, sure, but he's just so <em>surprised</em>. This goes against practically everything he knows about Yosuke.</p>
<p>Yosuke winks. "There's more, too. I put him in my phone as 'Master' for a reason."</p>
<p>"You<em> what?"</em></p>
<p>Another text:</p>
<p>
  <em>im gud. wld b bettr w u tho. miss ur cock &lt;3</em>
</p>
<p>"He's so possessive," Yosuke says with a dreamy sigh. "It's amazing. I've never felt so, so..." He hugs himself, delighted. "Wanted!"</p>
<p>Teddie frowns a little, concern lacing his soft features. "Yosuke, that sounds... dangerous. Are you sure he won't hurt you?"</p>
<p>Yosuke laughs, bright and cheerful. "Not unless I want him to."</p>
<p>Souji stops the spar mid-hit, knowing the brother will not strike him if he isn't blocking, and goes to fetch his phone. It takes him a moment to parse what the fuck it is that Yosuke's said.</p>
<p>He smirks a little at his phone, face warming. Brazen!</p>
<p>
  <em>As I miss all of you. You'd better come visit soon. I don't know how much longer I can wait.</em>
</p>
<p>That sent, he looks back at the brother, who gives him a knowing smile, gesturing to his own face with a wide grin. Souji touches his cheek, feeling the heat there, and fixes his face into a flat glare. "Mind your fucking business," he snaps, and the brother just guffaws.</p>
<p>Yosuke looks down at his phone and beams. "He's so fucking <em>charming</em>," he gushes. "Teddie, is it weird to fall in love with someone you've just met?"</p>
<p>"Uh, yeah," Teddie says. "It is. You're not serious, Yosuke."</p>
<p>"What if you had wild sex..." Yosuke stops, counting on his fingers. "...At least three times? I think? Or am I forgetting one..."</p>
<p>Teddie barks out a surprised laugh. "You can't even remember?! Yosuke! You're such a horndog! I never would have guessed..." Obvious sarcasm.</p>
<p>Yosuke smirks, looking down at his phone to type again.</p>
<p>
  <em>charmer. ill b ther asap, just lmk when. u alone? i cn send u pics ;)</em>
</p>
<p>Teddie, leaning over his shoulder, snorts. "<em>Yosuke</em>. Nudes? You devil!"</p>
<p>"I promised," Yosuke says, sending his text. "Besides... he's so... sweet. About my body. Ted, I didn't know anyone would ever..."</p>
<p>Teddie's expression softens, and he touches Yosuke's back. "You do deserve that, Yosuke. You're amazing."</p>
<p>Yosuke snorts, a little shy look down at his phone as it buzzes again. “I dunno about that. He... he certainly seems to think so, though.”</p>
<p>“He slept with you three times, Yosuke,” Teddie says, with a meaningful stare. “In the span of, what, twelve hours? Now, I don’t know a lot about <em>hanky-panky</em>...”</p>
<p>Yosuke laughs.</p>
<p>“...but I think that’s impressive, even for a teenage boy. He’s attracted to you!” Another meaningful look, this time laced with worry. “That... possessiveness, though. And you think you’re in <em>love? </em>I mean, it’s sweet, but... I dunno, Yosuke, I’m worried.”</p>
<p>Yosuke opens his mouth at the same time the door slams open, banging against the wall.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Souji had responded immediately, ignoring the brother, ignoring the heat starting to flush through his body.</p>
<p>
  <em>A few days at the soonest, unless you've thought things through. Send me pictures in the meantime. I want to see you.</em>
</p>
<p>"Alright, Romeo, you got fuckin' shit to learn," the brother says, patting his shoulder. "Get your dick wet later, alright?"</p>
<p>Souji glares at him, but agrees, snapping his phone shut and sitting down again. He doesn't care about this shit, but he has to learn it anyway.</p>
<p>The whole time he's waiting for a text.</p>
<p>It doesn’t come for a while.</p>
<p>A long while.</p>
<p>When it finally does, the sun has begun to set and a light rain has begun over the city.</p>
<p>
  <em>can i call?</em>
</p>
<p>Souji is eating dinner alone in the kitchen when he gets it, one of the little brothers asleep in the chair in front of him. Souji flips open his phone, scans the message and, instead of answering, hits the call button.</p>
<p>Yosuke answers immediately, the phone still in his hands. The patter of rain is audible.</p>
<p>His breathing is heavy, and he's sniffing hard, like he's got a runny nose. It takes him a moment to say anything, and when he does, it's in a wavering voice:</p>
<p>"I'll do it. I accept."</p>
<p>Souji's eyes flick to the little brother, and silently he slips out of the chair, and through a set of doorways to cross the house and head for one of the covered patios, his breath on the microphone so Yosuke knows he's there.</p>
<p>"What changed your mind?" he says softly, once he's sure he's alone.</p>
<p>Yosuke sniffs again. "I... I can't... stay. At home. I can't." He looks down between his legs, at the steel bench he's sitting on, beneath the awning of the bus stop. Blood comes into view, drips down and onto the bench, and he wipes his nose on the arm he's rolled his sleeve up on, streaked with blood.</p>
<p>"I don't... want to leave my brother," he says, his voice heavy, "but I can't stay. I can't... I..."</p>
<p>Tears cloud his vision, and he blinks, hard.</p>
<p>"I just... want to be with you. Okay?"</p>
<p>That sniffle. The crack in his voice in pain.</p>
<p>"Where are you?" Souji asks, voice hard. He turns on his heel to head back into the complex.</p>
<p>Yosuke looks up, across the street. "At the... the bus stop, on the... the same road as the Junes." Another heavy sniff. "Y-you can't leave the compound. What are... what are you gonna do?"</p>
<p>"Stay there. If you need to leave, call me immediately. I'll be on my way soon." With that, he hangs up.</p>
<p>There's no one that he can particularly throw under the bus to blackmail into helping him, or, even less likely, that would be willing to help him and risk the wrath of oyassan or either gashira of their own volition, based on their own stupid ideas of how things have to work. There's no one that he can willingly risk the life and well-being of to command to do this either.</p>
<p>So he has to do it alone. The consequences for this are going to be terrible. He swallows, nervous already, expecting the worst of the worst of the worst, his mind already filling with what will happen.</p>
<p>And Souji is terrified. But whatever fear he has of consequence is naturally much lesser than whatever Yosuke is going through, and Yosuke is <em>alone</em>.</p>
<p>First, to the waka-gashira. A reminder, offhand, of an earlier conversation: he intends to take the younger Hanamura as an untitled subordinate until he's determined where he best fits into hierarchy. The waka-gashira gives him a slow look, and Souji nearly panics, as if his mind has been read and his intentions have been exposed.</p>
<p>"So be it," the waka-gashira says mildly after a long silence. "I've already told Oyassan of your intentions. He has no objections provided the individual in question can follow our rules."</p>
<p>Souji bows, which was probably a tell, and leaves.</p>
<p>There's a particular part of the outer walls near a small plum tree. The tree isn't so strong to support his full weight, but as a stepping stool, to let him vault over the wall, it does quite fine. He knows where the cameras sit on the outside of the property. He knows where the cops that are stationed to watch the compound always are. And he manages to get past all of it. He hopes.</p>
<p>Then he runs, until he reaches the taxi stand at the beginning of the complex, and climbs into a cab. He calls Yosuke back, breathless as the cab starts to move. "Are you still by the Junes?"</p>
<p>Yosuke nods, even though he can't be seen. "Yeah... I haven't left. Bus doesn't show up for... a while." He sniffs again, though his nose has started to dry out, and the blood comes less now.</p>
<p>He shifts a little, a sharp hiss of pain. "Ah—Wh-what are you doing?"</p>
<p>"I'm on my way to you," Souji says, leaning back in the taxi seat. It's distinctly uncomfortable, much worse than any of the cars the family owns.</p>
<p>The taxi heads off towards Junes. Souji turns every now and again to check through the back window, but there are no cars following them through the dark. Though with this rain it would be impossible to see an unlit car following.</p>
<p>Fuck the cops, but what if another family was following? Souji feels stupid for this, but what the fuck else was he supposed to do? None of the others would have helped him.</p>
<p>Chichi-ue is going to be livid though. That, Souji is afraid of.</p>
<p>As they pull onto the main thoroughfare where the Junes is, Souji leans forward to the glass partition. An offer of money, five times the fare, is made if the cab driver sits for a minute and takes them back without asking questions, forgetting he ever saw them. The offer is accepted, and the cab rolls to a stop in front of the bus stop, and Souji jumps out before the door is all the way open.</p>
<p>Yosuke looks up, and god, he looks miserable.</p>
<p>His hair is a mess. Blood is caked to his upper lip from his nose, not broken, just a burst capillary. He's hugging himself, dressed in his sweater and tight pants still, and there's a vulnerability to his stance that blows his earlier displays out of the water.</p>
<p>He stands slowly, groaning, legs trembling. Then, as soon as Souji's close enough, Yosuke collapses against him.</p>
<p>The back of his sweater is stuck to his back, slick with blood.</p>
<p>Souji catches him, and there is a dark and quiet rage in his chest.</p>
<p>Yosuke looks horrible. Beaten, surely, but for what? Just more insolence? Some scapegoating of his father's? Why? <em>Why?</em></p>
<p>Souji intentionally did not bring a gun. Maybe he should have. <strike>He should not</strike>. He presses his face into Yosuke's hair, trying to hold him aloft with his arms around his shoulders without touching his back. The elder Hanamura will die for this, Souji decides, and it's the only peaceful thought he has.</p>
<p>"Come on. We have to get into the cab." Carefully he steps back, easing him into the cab. Yosuke won't be able to sit properly, so Souji sits sideways, to hold him steady in the same position facing him. He gestures to the driver to go as the door closes after Yosuke.</p>
<p>"Yosuke," he whispers, a bloodied hand up to cradle the back of his head. "<em>Yosuke</em>."</p>
<p>They can't discuss this here, not with this stranger present. But soon.</p>
<p>Yosuke, for all he's been through, does not cry. The pain registers, but it's not as bad as everything else. The betrayal. The violation. The things said...</p>
<p>He still presses into Souji, though, taking comfort in him, in whatever he's done to get here, to do this. If it were simply some lackey, what then? Yosuke would have looked a sore sight, and what might they have said, asked?</p>
<p>The lashes aren't as deep as the ones lower on his back. They bled a lot, yes, horribly, and there are so many, but spread over a wider area they didn't have the chance to cut so far. Of course, the lower ones were re-opened slightly...</p>
<p>He's going to have to tell Souji.</p>
<p>And then what? Will his father die? Who will take care of Junes? ...does Yosuke care?</p>
<p>No. He cares about Teddie, though. He hopes Teddie is okay...</p>
<p>As they get closer, Souji has to make a choice. He'd hoped to sneak back in, a different place where the walls are easy for two spry young men to hop over and sneak their way back into the compound. But with Yosuke like this, it's just not possible.</p>
<p>"Yosuke, I need you to listen to me," he says softly, right into Yosuke's ear. "We'll arrive at the compound. I will bring you to my rooms, and dress your wounds, and if you need a doctor, one can be arranged for. But after that I will need to leave for a little bit. You'll be able to rest while you wait for me to get back. You'll be safe."</p>
<p>"...What about you?" Yosuke asks, and now there's tears in his eyes. "I... I <em>need</em> you, Souji. He... h-he—”</p>
<p>Souji does not like the fear that grips his chest waiting at the end of that sentence.</p>
<p>Yosuke shakes his head with a soft, distressed sound. The cab driver, he can't say it with him so close. With <em>anyone </em>close. But Souji needs to know, because Yosuke needs him... No one else can make this better. Souji might not even be able to. Yosuke knows he can try, though.</p>
<p>"...I'll stay until you get to sleep then."</p>
<p>Chichi-ue is going to flay him for this.</p>
<p>Yosuke is afraid for Souji, more than himself. What's he going to do if they're separated? If Souji is hurt, too? He hugs Souji, sniffling again. There's no time to worry about it. They're almost there.</p>
<p>
  <em>Is this what you want, Youko?</em>
</p>
<p>Tears spill down Yosuke's cheeks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Tending</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Service is devotion, and devotion is love.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i know i said i wanted to space these out but SURPRISE i got some nice reviews and decided to post the next one</p><p>bon appetit</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Souji holds Yosuke as closely as he can, and wishes to god he had never let him leave with his father. The powerlessness of it all makes him sick, but also settles in his chest in black resolve.</p><p>He pulls away enough to direct the cab to the side entrance, and all but throws a stupid wad of money in the collection tray. As the cab's door opens automatically, Souji looks up to see the waka-gashira is already there waiting, with an umbrella.</p><p>Souji helps Yosuke ease backwards out of the car, following after, dragging Yosuke's arm across his shoulders to help him walk.</p><p>For a moment that feels longer than it is, the waka-gashira and Souji only look at one another. Souji sees his disappointment, but also his understanding; he sees Souji's defiance but also his desperation. It won't do anything for Souji himself, but maybe it will make things easier for Yosuke.</p><p>"Welcome home," the waka-gashira says softly, as they enter through the gate; it latches behind them with a beep and heavy thunk. "Shall I call for the doctor?"</p><p>Yosuke looks down at the ground, unwilling to meet the waka-gashira’s eyes, even though they're not trained on him. He's afraid. His reckless bravery is gone, replaced by fear, not for himself but for the man he trusts, loves. It's becoming harder to do the song and dance of telling himself it's too soon. He loves Souji.</p><p>When the man asks about a doctor, Yosuke looks to Souji, a little nod. A doctor would make things easier. Still, he wants to be alone with Souji...</p><p>Souji looks to Yosuke, and his expression flickers with despair, but he turns to nod up at the waka-gashira.</p><p>Yosuke holds Souji tightly, not only with the arm around his shoulders, but with his other hand on Souji's arm, squeezing. He glances at the waka-gashira, then down at the ground again. <em>Please don't hurt him...</em> For all the good it would do.</p><p>The older man sighs a little, and nods. "Alright. Bring him to your room." As he starts to turn away, he pauses, a glance at Yosuke, before fixing his eyes on Souji's.</p><p><em>Your father already knows</em>, is what that glance says, and Souji nods, a heavy swallow.</p><p>"It usually takes the doctor just short of an hour to get here," the waka-gashira says as he turns away, for Yosuke's benefit entirely because Souji already knows this. "I'll bring him to your room when he arrives."</p><p>Then the man leads them into the compound proper, before disappearing down another corridor, and Souji half-carries, half-leads Yosuke towards his room in the dark.</p><p>Yosuke is both relieved to be in the familiar place, and dreading the moment when Souji will have to leave.</p><p>"I'm sorry," are the first words out of his mouth as they enter. "I'm so sorry, Souji... I-I hope they don't hurt you..." He's had enough hurt in his life. All he wants from here on out is two kinds: the sting of a fist in a fair fight, and the delicious kind Souji doles out during sex. That's it. No more lashings, no more beatings. It’s useless, he knows, but he can dream.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he repeats. "I... I didn't know who else..."</p><p>Souji shakes his head, and pulls him into a kiss, soft, wanting, the second the door is closed. "It's not your fault," he whispers. "It's not your fault."</p><p>It doesn't matter what happens to him. He's unrepentant, entirely, but that's not how punishments work.</p><p>And there, a surge of protective, possessive rage. "You're <em>mine</em>," he says against Yosuke’s lips, following that with another kiss, holding his face. "Let me take care of this. Let me take care of you."</p><p><em>Please</em>.</p><p>Yosuke nods, and now there's tears again, because he belongs to Souji, but— </p><p>But...</p><p>"Take care of me," he says, pleads. "Please. I need you... I... <em>he</em>..."</p><p>He ducks his head, tears slipping down his nose, his cheeks. "Souji... h-he... he said, he said I was a whore, and a tramp, and..." A little sob, and he presses his face into Souji's chest. "He went crazy. H-he forced Teddie out of the room, a-and locked the door, and after he... after his belt, he..."</p><p>He can't fucking <em>say it</em>. He whimpers, trying to find the words.</p><p>Regardless, Souji knows; he understands what Yosuke is trying to say. His first reaction is to refuse it. To refuse that such a thing could happen. There is a <em>line</em>.</p><p>But this was a man who called his son a daughter, who refused to recognize his son's name, who beat him already. All that blood, from a belt? Did he use the end with the buckle?!</p><p>So where is the line for such a monster? What else would he do to the son-he-calls-a-daughter, who he calls a whore, a tramp?</p><p>Souji forces a heavy breath out through his nose, to keep himself still, and wraps his arms around Yosuke's shoulders and neck, holding him close and tight, a hand into his hair, trembling with fury and grief.</p><p>"I'm so sorry," Souji whispers, holding him close. "I'm so sorry."</p><p>Yosuke had screamed the whole time, unless he was sobbing. His nose had bled when his father slammed his face into the wall. He was <em>Souji's</em>, he didn't belong to his father, he never had.</p><p>He'd barely made it out of the house...</p><p>"<em>Souji</em>," he whispers back, clinging to Souji's shirt, trembling. "I... I want to... be yours. Always. I n-never... want anyone doing that to me... ever again. N-no one but you."</p><p>Softer still, "I... I love you, Souji."</p><p>Souji's chest is too tight with anger and rage and the need for the blood of a different Hanamura on his hands to be able to think straight.</p><p>But he kisses Yosuke's forehead, and holds him closer. "I love you too," he whispers; it's not a question in his mind, or something worth waffling over. "No one will ever touch you again." It's a promise, one that Souji absolutely intends to hold himself to. He will protect Yosuke.</p><p>"Do you want to clean up?" he whispers, drawing back only enough to stroke over Yosuke’s face, his hair.</p><p>Yosuke nods, a tightness in him he didn't know he had slowly unraveling.<em> Souji loves me</em>. That's enough, really. That's worth doing anything for.</p><p>"Stay with me?" he asks, voice quiet, feeling so small. "I know... I know you have to go... But, I... I need you..."</p><p>Souji nods again, another kiss, his hands unable to leave his skin and hair. "Until you sleep, I'll be here." His father will have to wait.</p><p>
  <strike>Souji really doesn't like making it easy for himself, does he?</strike>
</p><p>He doesn't know the extent of his injuries, of the <em>damage Yosuke's father did to him</em>, but washing up will help some. He reaches down for his hands, to draw him with him, further into the room and into the bathroom. Yosuke complies, hands tight in Souji's, eager to be with him. His back hurts, but it's not as bad as it could be, has been.</p><p>When they're in the bathroom, Yosuke takes it upon himself to remove his sweater, something he's wanted to do since he yanked it back down on his way out of the house. It had been forced up, same as his pants were forced down.</p><p>It's not just belt lashes on his back. That becomes apparent quickly. They are there, crisscrossing his flesh, but down the center of them are nail marks. Deep, gouging ones, tearing through his fresh wounds. Like he was supposed to hurt, like it was torture.</p><p>He's more hesitant to drop his pants, but he wants out of those, too. So he does.</p><p>Bruises on his thighs, horrifically close to his labia in at least one instance. And come, dried along his inner leg.</p><p>Yosuke stands there, looking ashamed.</p><p>Maybe this is the wrong thing to do. But Souji cannot look away. He turns him with a hold on his hand, to look over his back, his expression going more and more mask-like as he does. The nail marks over the lashes. Eyes traveling down to Yosuke’s legs, the bruises. The...</p><p>Souji's face seems almost to be a statue's for all its stillness as he pulls Yosuke closer and wraps his arms around his shoulders, pressing his body tight against Yosuke's.</p><p>Maybe his father will let him kill the elder Hanamura with his bare hands.</p><p>There's a little stool in the shower, unused for the most part, a bucket as well. Souji generally prefers the straightforwardness of a normal shower, but for now he wants something else. He rolls up his sleeves and pulls the stool out. "Can you sit?"</p><p>Yosuke offers a little nod, stepping in and grimacing as he folds himself, but managing to sit down on the stool. From that angle he can better see the bruises, the... the <em>mess </em>left behind, and sighs, a little tremble.</p><p>He loved his father, once. Wanted to be just like him. And now...</p><p>He looks up at Souji with wide, wet eyes. He doesn't understand what would drive a person to do something like this. He doesn't fathom what his father went through, or the little snap in his head when he found out what Yosuke had been doing the whole time. He doesn't understand his father's burning rage, his desire to 'correct' his misguided daughter. He doesn't understand.</p><p>Souji doesn't understand either. But service is devotion, and devotion is love. So this is simple. Souji loves Yosuke. Yosuke loves Souji. What else could he possibly do than this, to tend to him after this horrible, horrible harm?</p><p>He fills the little bucket with just-warmer-than-lukewarm water, and gathers a washcloth, the soap, and kneels before him, looking up at him.</p><p><em>I love you</em>, his eyes say, and he touches Yosuke's cheek with the back of his fingers. Then he sets to this task, crowded up in Yosuke's space, with Yosuke at his side, so he can be close and still wash him.</p><p>He starts at his feet, carefully lifting one foot, ignoring the wet stain to his slacks, to wipe the soapy washcloth over.</p><p>Yosuke relaxes more, bit by bit, a little embarrassed but altogether rather touched. Souji genuinely loves him, doing something like this. Maybe they're soulmates—it's possible, isn't it? To be soul-bonded to someone? He's never really put stock in such childish things before, but it gives him a certain comfort to think he really, truly was <em>made </em>for Souji.</p><p>"...it helped, a little," he croaks after a few moments, his throat raw from all the screaming, "to think about you. To know that... no matter what happened... I was yours. That I had a safe place to go... And you, to be with."</p><p>He looks at Souji a little shyly. "You're special to me, you know?"</p><p>Souji smiles a little, or at least his expression softens just a tad. "I'd hope so, since you love me," he says quietly. He rubs up his leg, douses the washcloth, and keeps washing.</p><p>Yosuke huffs, a small laugh. "Yeah. I do. I love you."</p><p>Youske’s prior words are a knife in Souji's chest, echoing noisily in his head. Did Yosuke cry out for Souji to save him, while Souji was here looking at numbers, safe and warm and unharmed? Did Yosuke try to plead with whatever gods exist to spare him? His voice is ruined, clearly, from screaming or crying or both or worse.</p><p>It's hell. This is hell.</p><p>"You always have a safe place with me," Souji says quietly as he washes his calf. "This will be your home now. You're safe here, with me, in your home."</p><p>Yosuke reaches, touches Souji's head, his hair. Remembers how it all began... how Souji had touched his hair, how he'd touched Souji's in turn. The kiss. The heated, demanding kiss. It's a good memory... and only a day old.</p><p>His home... it feels good. <em>Their </em>home. Him and Souji...</p><p>"I've been so angry, all my life," Yosuke whispers, petting Souji's hair. "About... everything. All the time. But with you, it's like... I'm just happy."</p><p>Souji looks up at him, a little surprised. Angry? As he resumes the task of washing him, taking up his other foot, he nods slowly.</p><p>"There was much to be angry about," he says softly, looking back down. The hand in his hair is distracting, pleasant, the same bright ignorance that made him first see Yosuke as something other than just another facet of this visitor to his floating world.</p><p>He loves him.</p><p>"If anything here makes you angry, let me know and I will fix it."</p><p>The sheer significance of Souji like this, clothed, tending to him, as the son to the local crime boss, is for the moment lost on Yosuke. They are simply two teenagers in love, and he is hurt, and Souji is tending to him, as a lover would. As a partner would.</p><p>"I get to sic my gorgeous yakuza boyfriend on whatever I want, huh?" he jokes. "Cool. Maybe that'll make it easier, getting used to this place..." He sighs. He's really going to miss a lot, but... it'll be worth it.”</p><p>Souji looks up at him then. He opens his mouth to assure him that his father will die for the harm he has done... and then realizes it may not be a comfort. Or maybe it would be?</p><p>"Yes," Souji says instead, simply. "Whoever harms you, harms the family. Whoever harms the family, harms you." He rinses the washcloth, lathers it again, and washes over his knee, towards the outside of his thigh. "Ours is an uncompromising world view, perhaps."</p><p>So... his father <em>will </em>die, then. Yosuke looks hesitantly at Souji. He's not sure how to feel about it, but it's probably for the best; better for the family, he reasons, if rapists and child abusers are put down rather than worked with... He has to think like that now, right? What's best for the family.</p><p>He strokes Souji's hair. "When... when, um. When we can, I want..." He sighs a little, posture relaxing, thighs apart. "I want you to... make me yours. Again. I just—I need... the reminder, I think."</p><p>Souji closes his eyes for a moment to just lean his head into Yosuke's hand.</p><p>"Tomorrow," he says softly. Tonight there's still too much to be done. Yosuke needs to sleep, to rest, to start to heal. And Souji needs to see his father.</p><p>He looks up at him. "Tomorrow I'll remind you. Tonight you rest."</p><p>"Okay," Yosuke agrees. "That sounds good." He pets Souji's hair, bangs away from his eyes, so pretty. "Souji..." His eyes are bright, despite what he's gone through. The love Souji has for him is crowding out the bad, which will likely resurface when he's gone... but this, now, is good.</p><p>"I really do love you. Thank you... for... for loving me, too."</p><p>Is it really enough? Souji needs to protect him; just loving him is insufficient, he reasons.</p><p>He smiles a little more, however, a warmth in his eyes. "I love you too." In another situation he'd tease Yosuke for being so emotional but, well.</p><p>He continues to wash Yosuke, outside of his thigh to hip, then the other leg. He rinses the washcloth, soaps it again, and looks up at Yosuke, holding the washcloth up for him, if he wants to wash between his thighs himself.</p><p>Yosuke shakes his head, a little wariness in his eyes as he looks down. He's... afraid. Afraid to touch, afraid of what he might find, like there was more to it than just the invasion. It's a senseless fear, but it's there, burning in him. No, he wants Souji to do it, wants to feel Souji's hand beyond the cloth and know that he's being handled by the only person he wants handling him.</p><p>Souji understands. He shifts a little, and starts at the inside of his knee. It's just washing, even though there's lighter bruises here, growing darker as he washes upwards. Like fingerprints.</p><p>It is so easy to be angry. Souji knows Yosuke understands that.</p><p>So he focuses there on his anger. He thinks about how he will take whatever pointless punishment Chichi-ue decides he deserves for this and channel it all towards making that man pay. No one will hurt Yosuke ever again, least of all his own fucking blood.</p><p>He is careful as he soaps over the bruises, over the come dried on the inside of his thigh, his expression quiet and calm and his eyes full of rage.</p><p>Yosuke can see it, and for once, such a fierce look is welcome. This means that Souji genuinely cares about this, about what's happened to him, about him. The fierceness is also protectiveness, and Yosuke feels comfortable putting his life in the hands of someone with that sort of fire in them, all for him.</p><p>He pets Souji's hair, a little reminder, I'm here. Here, safe, in love. He can comfort Souji in his own time of need, because Souji's sheer presence is calming him, making the terror and hurt less important. There will be lasting scars... he knows this. But it will be okay, because Souji will be with him.</p><p>Washing him is a thing of gentleness, on a canvas of rage and anger and hurt. Yosuke's hand in his hair is so beloved and dear and still foreign in its unfamiliarity, as Souji rinses the washcloth and suds it again. There is no one else in the whole of the world. Just the two of them, and this care and calm that only Souji can give.</p><p>Yosuke is here. He is safe, he is safe, he is safe. And no one will hurt him again. It's a refrain Souji repeats to himself, again, again, his expression mask-hard, his hands careful. His chest is tight, something like butterflies but like he's going to be sick, as he carefully carefully washes over the highest part of his thigh. One hand moves to press on Yosuke's hip in reminder: I'm here.</p><p>Yosuke is slowly coming to realize how significant this is as Souji works. It's not easy for him to keep in mind, the closer they get, have gotten, but Souji is still the prince of the Seta clan. He's been raised in such a different world, so far away from Yosuke's, and he's had such high expectations placed upon him. He doesn't do this for other people. He doesn't tend to others. He is tended <em>to</em>.</p><p>He loves Yosuke. He <em>loves </em>Yosuke! It's the only possible explanation.</p><p>...but Yosuke's not sure how to feel. This is wonderful, yes, but Yosuke isn't sure that he necessarily likes Souji swapping out his dominant role for that of a caregiver. Not like this, anyway, in such a blatant show of... something. Not subordination, but... disregard for himself, maybe.</p><p>He's not going to stop Souji, though. This is important to him, Yosuke thinks, being able to tend to him like this. Something he needs to do.</p><p>So he pets Souji's hair, still. Softly, "You're gorgeous. I bet people tell you that a lot, but... wow."</p><p>Souji doesn't, can't know what Yosuke's thinking. This isn't actually care-as-a-caregiver but rather the very real fact of refusing to trust an important task to anyone lesser. Yosuke is <em>his</em>. What has happened to Yosuke is, in some real way, a failure on Souji's part to protect what is his.</p><p>Besides, every bruise needs to be memorized; every wound remembered. Because it will guide his hand in the vengeance to come.</p><p>Yosuke's comment is so irrelevant to the task at hand, so discordant to Souji's own thoughts, that for a moment Souji just blinks up at him, confused.</p><p>"No, they don't," he says as soon as he finally understands what he's said, and returns to the task of washing him.</p><p>Yosuke lets out a little huff through his nose, a half-snort. "Really? You've obviously been with other people..." There's a light tease in his voice, but all of it, the hair petting, the compliment, they're a distraction: think about Souji. Don't think about what he's doing or why. It's easier to not think, to disregard it, to pretend his father hadn't pinned him to the wall and done horrible, horrible things to him.</p><p>Yet Yosuke's smile falters. <em>Been with other people</em>. Yeah, now they both have.</p><p>...He likes to talk, to fill silence, but Souji is so focused that maybe it'd be better to be quiet? Quiet invites those sorts of thoughts, though...</p><p>But Yosuke’s talking is peaceful, in a way, a normalcy. And Souji likes to hear him. He's so expressive with his voice, in a way that Souji finds charming.</p><p>He rinses the washcloth, suds it again. Mechanical. Rote.</p><p>"No one compliments me," he says, and it's not a complaint but a statement of fact. "The only people I've been with know who I am and know not to say certain things." There's a little quirk in the corner of his mouth, not quite a smile but a fondness. "Present company excluded, ne." He pauses there, for a half-moment. "But I don't mind it."</p><p>"Well, I know who you are," Yosuke says, seizing upon the opportunity to keep talking, quietly thanking Souji for inviting it by petting his hair a little more. "I just don't know what I'm not supposed to say. Or do. Or any of it. How do people learn this shit, anyway? Is there some secret yakuza class in high school I've been missing out on?" He laughs, easy, happy. It's better this way. Hurts less.</p><p>"Most of them were raised in the Family, or in families associated with the Family," Souji says quietly. "You learn by making mistakes. By watching how everyone else behaves. So on. You'll learn this way too."</p><p>It's a risk, and a long road of education ahead of him. It feels like duress, to have him require to join just to avoid his fucking father.</p><p>Anxiety twists Yosuke's gut. Making mistakes... is that really the only way to learn? He's made enough mistakes to last a lifetime, and the judgement of those around him will bring him crashing down.</p><p>God. He's not going to be strong enough for this.</p><p>...He has to be, though. For Souji. And to stay away from his father. Souji already is doing everything he's doing with some manner of punishment in mind, taking that stoically. Yosuke has to rise to that level. He has to be strong. And he's been strong, most of his life, fistfights and arguments, getting knocked down and rolling back up again. Why is this different?</p><p>Because of Souji. Because Souji makes him feel soft.</p><p>He changes the subject. "...You really don't mind? Like, am I not just disrespecting you every time I compliment you, or call you your given name, or...?" Another comb of fingers through Souji’s hair.</p><p>Souji weighs his words. Yosuke's hand on his hair is... nice, actually.</p><p>"It's disrespectful, but only to outside eyes. Like I said, I don't mind it."</p><p>"I'm glad," Yosuke says, a little smile. "I like touching you. I like... knowing you're here."</p><p>Souji nods, and leans into his hand. "Good."</p><p>The mistakes here are lesser, the consequences lesser. Yosuke isn't stupid. He'll figure this out.</p><p>Then Souji goes back to washing him, up to his belly, his ribs, his chest. There's a mark on his chest, left by Souji's teeth.</p><p>He had clearly marked Yosuke as his own, and yet his father still... It's another flash of fiery, apoplectic rage that Souji barely manages to tamp down, his hands still gentle and smooth, a distance between his thoughts and his movements, his face a quiet mask.</p><p>"I will wash what I can of your back," Souji says quietly as he rinses the washcloth again. "The doctor will do the bandaging and such."</p><p>Yosuke sucks in a breath. "Okay," he says. "Um... be careful. I guess." A little, nervous laugh. He knows what his father did, sort of; the nails, anyway. He'd felt it, but the lashings had been so fresh that he didn't entirely notice, the pain all melding together, along with the agony of the invasion. He knows the blood coating his sweater came from <em>something</em>, and belts are usually more to bruise than to cut, though the buckle had definitely been involved this time...</p><p>He goes quiet. His father <em>snapped</em>. Yosuke didn't know he had that kind of rage in him. Figures it'd be turned on him.</p><p>Souji looks up at his face, his expression completely serious.</p><p>"I <em>will </em>be careful," he says, and it is laden with promise and intent. He will be careful. He will be careful with Yosuke like he is with nothing else. He will make sure that the pain of this healing is as minimized as possible.</p><p>And then he will kill the elder Hanamura for this.</p><p>He moves to kneel on the wet tile beside his hip, so he can see his back. Bruises on top of bruises, and then the gouging between... It is agony and Souji pushes it all down. Now is not the time for anger. Now is the time for cleansing. Anger comes later.</p><p>And slowly, carefully, he begins to wash his back, avoiding the gouges.</p><p>Yosuke closes his eyes and clenches his jaw, making nary a sound at the pain as soap and water filter into the gouges, over the bruises, the cuts. Souji had just told him things could rupture, if the back was struck, and of course his father did it again, like he <em>knew</em>. Yosuke considers himself lucky to still be alive, but at what fucking cost?</p><p>It's exactly that, that Souji is afraid of. Bruises on the skin can be indicative of bleeding underneath. The ribs only protect the upper organs, nothing lower: those muscles themselves can be wounded and those wounds can seep deep...</p><p>This wasn't punishment. This was torture.</p><p>And torture is unbecoming of any head of house, for any reason, but especially against his own son...</p><p>...at least he's with Souji.</p><p>Yosuke is being so strong, despite how much Souji knows this must hurt. It's a little swell of pride and love, beneath the rage.</p><p>The wounds are deep indeed, but Yosuke is no longer in mortal peril, now that he's escaped. They're both lucky for that. If it had been worse, he probably wouldn't have made it, waiting for Souji or on the cab ride here.</p><p>It's emotional pain Yosuke is weak to, his Achilles heel. Physical pain can be withstood, can be powered through. Emotional... it seeps deep. And there is some of that, here; a lot, in fact. His father has taken more from him than he was ever prepared for.</p><p>...At least Souji got there first. Had he been a virgin— </p><p>Yosuke shivers. It's hard to believe this happened.</p><p>Souji's thoughts follow the same desperate path.</p><p>If they hadn't met...</p><p>...If Souji hadn't seen the seeds of something desirable in Yosuke...</p><p>...If Souji hadn't claimed him for himself...</p><p>...If...</p><p>Souji's other hand slips from Yosuke's thigh to his waist, and around him, drawing him closer. The water dripping off Yosuke's side is tinged with red, staining Souji's shirt, but he doesn't care. He rests his cheek on Yosuke's shoulder, looking down at his back, leaning up against him.</p><p>A weakness, maybe, in this. In wanting to hold him tight and close, in needing to feel his breath under his hand now on his far waist, in needing to feel him warm and alive and safely <em>here</em>.</p><p>Yosuke is a little surprised by the closeness, but welcomes it, as he always does. Souji is so hard to read. So stoic one moment, soft the next. Yet even in his stoicness he can be gentle, actions speaking louder than words... And the kiss, that morning, before Yosuke left. Souji always surprises him.</p><p>"...Hey," he says, voice quiet. He's more perceptive than he lets on, the kind of person who sees things sooner than anything else. "I'm here. You saved me."</p><p><em>Not soon enough, ne</em>. Should he have pushed? Refused to let Yosuke go home at all? But there was no way he could have known what the elder Hanamura was capable of. Yosuke didn't know: of that Souji is certain. And Souji himself had no idea.</p><p>...Right?</p><p>Souji closes his eyes. It feels like absolution, and despite how much Souji wants to refuse it, if this is what Yosuke feels then...</p><p>He resumes washing his back in silence.</p><p>Yosuke smiles a little, a small, sad look. What a mess they've gotten into.</p><p>He's worried about Teddie. It's hard not to worry. Teddie is older, but smaller than he is, and not a fighter. What if the elder Hanamura turns on him next...? He wants to tell Souji his fears, but he's afraid the answer will be that nothing can be done.</p><p>He's chosen this life over Teddie. That's just... how it is.</p><p>Souji finishes washing his back in silence. Finally the water runs mostly clear, and Souji drops the washcloth in the basin and looks over him.</p><p>Some wounds will take longer to heal than can just be washed away.</p><p>"The doctor will be here soon," he says quietly. "Let's dry you off, and get you ready to see him."</p><p>"Okay," Yosuke says, softly. He reaches for Souji, to be helped up, but also so that he can simply hug him tight once he's there. Souji's soaked already, what's a little more? Yosuke needs to feel him. He needs to feel loved and wanted, now, more than ever.</p><p>It's a simple, easy thing, and something they both want. Souji holds Yosuke close, arms around his shoulders, holding his head against his collar.</p><p>One step at a time.</p><p>Yosuke’s phone buzzes, and he squeezes Souji tighter.</p><p>After a while, Souji leans back to grab a towel, to drape over Yosuke’s back, and then another to crouch down and start to dry his legs. Yosuke pulls the towel up to rub at his hair, though he's unable to do it as vigorously as he wants because it stretches the muscles in his back to raise and move his arms. He shakes his head, though, water spraying everywhere, to try and get it to stand up how he likes. It's the small things...</p><p>He reaches down, petting Souji's hair again. And his phone buzzes.</p><p>Souji smiles a little bit more up at him, before turning at the buzz of the phone, again.</p><p>He reaches over to Yosuke's discarded pants, fishing out his phone to hand up to him, before resuming his task of drying his legs.</p><p>If it's his fucking father...</p><p>But it's not, thank god. Yosuke sighs in relief.</p><p>
  <em>where r u yosK? r u safe? what happened?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>yosK????</em>
</p><p>"It's my brother," he says softly, texting back:</p><p>
  <em>im ok. w souji. dad attacked me</em>
</p><p>There's a few moments between that and the next from Teddie.</p><p>
  <em>i kno he attacked u, but hes hurt u b4. what did he do 2 u?</em>
</p><p>There's an urgency in it, a desperation, Yosuke can tell. He gives his phone a gentle look.</p><p>
  <em>he hurt me bad. i cant come home. i hope u understand. ilu</em>
</p><p>There's nary a beat before Teddie texts back.</p><p>
  <em>yosK. what did he do.</em>
</p><p>Yosuke's hand trembles, his grip on the phone tight. It's so hard to fucking admit. Like saying it out loud, or typing it, or anything but the intrusive thoughts in his head will solidify it, make it real.</p><p>
  <em>he said he was going to give me what i wanted bc im a whore now. he said i can only ever be his daughter</em>
</p><p>
  <em>it wasnt like w souji</em>
</p><p>
  <em>hurt</em>
</p><p>There's another moment, a silence in between the send and the reply. Then:</p><p>
  <em>i love you, yosuke.</em>
</p><p>That's the last text he gets.</p><p>Souji glances up as Yosuke speaks. There's more buzzing: more messages that cause Yosuke's expression to change. Souji, on his knees beside him, can see every shift and detail, every movement of his face and hands.</p><p>Souji stills in drying him, to wait.</p><p>"...Yosuke?" he asks softly.</p><p>"...he asked what happened," Yosuke says, tears in his voice and his eyes. "I... I don't know... I don't know what he's going to do. He knows the cops are useless, there's... there's nothing he can do..."</p><p>What's actually happening in the Hanamura home is so far beyond him.</p><p>"My dad... really..." Yosuke sniffles, miserable.</p><p>Surely the family can at least do something for Yosuke's brother. Set him up somehow until he comes of age. <em>Something</em>. There's nothing Souji can ask for right now though. He'll bring it up when he can, maybe with the waka-gashira. Or the family lawyer.</p><p>"Is he safe?" Souji asks softly as he rises, pushing the towel into Yosuke's hands.</p><p>"My dad's never laid a hand on Teddie," Yosuke says, gripping the towel but not doing anything with it. "But he's never... r... f-forced himself on me, either." He sniffs. "He's small. And really sweet. It'd be so easy to... to h-hurt him."</p><p>He wipes his face on the towel, hiding his tears. "This is all my fault..."</p><p>Souji holds his shoulders, a hand beneath his chin to lift his face by force. Souji's face is quietly furious.</p><p>"No, it's not," he says, voice hard. "It's not your fault. Nothing you did earned you this. This wasn't <em>punishment</em>. This was cruelty, and nothing more."</p><p>There is a difference between punishment, which is consequence, and cruelty, which is torture. This was the latter. This was his father using his size and strength and authority to inflict pain and suffering upon Yosuke for no reason other than because he could.</p><p>Surely Yosuke could see that, couldn't he?</p><p>Yosuke sniffles, then nods, not wanting to argue. He's Souji's, and if Souji says it's not his fault, then... maybe it's not.</p><p>He looks to his ruined sweater on the floor, and his pants. "...can I borrow your clothes again?"</p><p>"Is yukata alright?" Souji asks as he takes the towel back and resumes drying him.</p><p>Yosuke nods, a little hesitance. "I... don't wear yukata a lot," he says, a little nervous that he's going to do it wrong, somehow. Maybe it'll be easier for the doctor to remove, though... Probably for the best. He just doesn't want to be naked in front of another person today. No one but Souji.</p><p>Catching a glimpse of himself in the nearby mirror, Yosuke traces the mark Souji left on his chest with a finger. <em>His</em>.</p><p>Souji hums. "I'll help you dress," he says, like it's a nonissue, because it is a nonissue. He dries over his chest, and then, carefully pats over his back. Nothing seems to be reopening, at least.</p><p>He draws him close enough to kiss, softer, possessive.</p><p>He'll help him dress, and sit beside him as the doctor comes to bandage him, and then lay beside him as Yosuke falls asleep.</p><p>And then he'll go see his own father.</p><p>It's a bit of a pain, being dressed, stretching and moving, but nothing reopens and Yosuke is happy for the help. He drags Souji in for another kiss before they leave the bathroom.</p><p>The doctor is curt, but gentle, asking no questions and simply applying ointment and bandaging the worst of it. Some simple care instructions -- ointment, change the bandages, drink water -- and he's gone, and Yosuke sighs, exhausted but at least in less pain.</p><p>He slips back out of the yukata to sleep, too warm, the bandages only retaining even more of his heat.</p><p>He doesn't want to sleep. He doesn't want Souji to go.</p><p>"They won't separate us, will they?" he asks, a whisper.</p><p>Souji shakes his head. "No, they won't," he says. It isn't a lie. He's certain of that, at least. Yosuke is now Souji's responsibility, and as much as Souji doesn't know the extent of how much trouble he's in, he is certain of that at least.</p><p>They won't be separated. Not yet, at least. Eventually Yosuke will be moved in with the rest of the family, and out of the Seta's section of the compound, but that's formality.</p><p>Souji has zero intention of letting Yosuke go.</p><p>"Everything will be alright."</p><p>"Okay," Yosuke murmurs, snuggling up against Souji, a hand on his chest. "If... if they hurt you... I'll take care of you, okay?" He's not sure what other punishments there are. He's not sure he wants to know.</p><p>"I love you so much, Souji."</p><p>His eyelids are heavy...</p><p>Souji leans forward to kiss his forehead, lingering there. "I love you. Rest now." And then, as Yosuke falls asleep, Souji slips out of his arms, and leaves the bedroom. It's nearly dawn.</p><p>His father is furious. But this is not the kind of family that yells. This is the kind that sits, tea between them, his father's waka-gashira sitting nearby with his own tea, as Chichi-ue lists Souji's many failures and mistakes as Souji says nothing. Chichi-ue explains how dangerous this was. He goes over the long list of risks Souji took, and how each and every one could have left Souji dead, the family maimed, their enemies enriched. The waka-gashira interjecting now and again with his own take on the situation.</p><p>And when Chichi-ue asks for Souji's explanation for his behavior, Souji only apologizes and says he was thoughtless, and begs his father's forgiveness in a quiet voice as he bows. They hesitate there for a long moment. Chichi-ue does not accept Souji's answer, and Souji cannot say more.</p><p>The waka-gashira offers the words of the doctor. The explanation of the beating. The gouging that was clearly fingernails. Youko—</p><p>"Yosuke," Souji interrupts, and both men go a little more still, and there is a long, thick silence.</p><p>"...Yosuke," the waka-gashira continues, "winced and flinched as he was asked to move." He explains the doctor's assumptions for what truly happened. Souji says nothing, jaw clenched. He won't say more.</p><p>Chichi-ue watches Souji as the waka-gashira finishes his explanation.</p><p>The punishment comes first, and it is the usual: lashings with a thin rattan cane across the shoulders and upper back. Souji unbuttons his blood-stained shirt and stands against the wall. He is quiet throughout, eyes clenched and body tense, and, when Chichi-ue is done, the bloodied cane handed off to the waka-gashira for disposal, Souji remains there leaning against the wall, thankful for the silence in which he's permitted to try to catch his breath. The doctor, who had not left, comes to bandage him around the chest, and leaves.</p><p>Then they sit, and Souji tries to explain what he expects of Yosuke and tries not to pass out. In the end, Chichi-ue is satisfied, the waka-gashira accepts, and personally walks him back to his room. Neither of them acknowledge Souji's shaking hand on the waka-gashira's forearm.</p><p>He crawls back into bed with Yosuke, skin pale and shirtless, bandaged around the chest and still in the pants he'd left the house in hours ago, but too worn to do else, and falls immediately asleep.</p><p>Yosuke wakes earlier than he should, his sleep fitful and restless, nightmare after nightmare. And when he wakes, the nightmare is still there, because he sees Souji and his bandages and his pale skin and starts to cry.</p><p>He knew it would be something like this. He knew, and could do nothing to stop it, but it hurts to see. They match, though, their bandages and blood. Partners.</p><p>He carefully moves in close, tucking against Souji's chest, careful to not jostle him. He can't sleep more. He stays there, silent, tears on his cheeks and the pillow below his head, and thinks about everything that's happened and will happen.</p><p>And outside the compound, as fog drifts across the frosted earth, Teddie arrives.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>At least they have each other.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>literally cannot restrain myself from posting chapters, they're HERE and i want VALIDATION</p><p>here's an art i did: <br/>https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/755437210517373089/800325152113557534/business_relations.png</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>What wakes Souji isn't the running feet through the corridors, but the soft knock on the door in a particular pattern. He’s awake in an instant, barely recognizing Yosuke beside him but an arm out to hold him down. He's up on his feet before the pain in his back lances through him, but he doesn't have time to wait.</p><p>He opens the door to find one of the older brothers. It's a quick whispered conversation.</p><p>"Let me get a shirt," he says, before stumbling in towards the closet. "You have to get dressed," he says to Yosuke, voice coarse as he tosses a pair of pajama pants and a heavy sweatshirt towards him. "Now."</p><p>This is a further consequence of Souji's mistake yesterday. But what else could he do? There was no other choice to be made.</p><p>There's the sound of footsteps, from the open doorway. "Waka, he's not––"</p><p>"Get the fuck out of my room," Souji snaps. He drags a shirt on overhead; once it's on, his face is pale again.</p><p>Yosuke watches the exchange with wide eyes, wordlessly pulling on the sweatshirt and waiting until the stranger is out of the room to uncover himself and pull on the pajama pants as well. Then he stands, legs trembling, giving Souji a look that's both concern and panic.</p><p>"Souji...?"</p><p>"Someone's here," Souji says quietly, before grabbing his hand and all but dragging him from the room. "He says he's your kin."</p><p>Souji ignores his own wounds. They're unimportant.</p><p>Down the hallways, through to other hallways, a dizzying labyrinth of hallways after hallway to an entire different section of the house: a normal looking foyer filled with men milling about, murmuring, blocking the view of whatever it is that's just come through the front door and now stands in the lowered section of the genkan.</p><p>Some of the men are in suits with slicked back hair; some of the men look like they too just rolled out of bed, hair mussed and in pajamas. Souji pushes his way through them, dragging Yosuke along with him, to see—</p><p>A boy.</p><p>A tiny boy, who looks like he rolled in a puddle, if that puddle were blood.</p><p>Teddie doesn't know any more about any of this than Yosuke. In fact, he knows less. He's simply followed orders given since he arrived, face blank, body numb. He's so lost. He didn't even know he was <em>capable </em>of what he's done. Yet, all the same, it's of little consequence; he feels nothing.</p><p>Nothing but the need to see Yosuke.</p><p>He looks up as they enter, and god, he stands out. White skin, blonde hair, baby blue eyes, and the blood. So much blood.</p><p>It's not a smile that lights up his face, as much as just an overwhelming relief.</p><p>"<em>Yosuke!</em>" he cries, and there's no stopping this tiny waif of a boy from surging forward and pulling his little brother into a hug. Yosuke hugs him back, breathing hard, terrified.</p><p>"Teddie," he gasps. "What—"</p><p>"It's not mine," Teddie says simply, rocking Yosuke back and forth. "It's not mine."</p><p>The rest of the brothers, older and younger, step aside as Souji just stands there and stares.</p><p>It's not his.</p><p>Which means—</p><p>Souji looks around, and there, in the back, the waka-gashira. He shoves his way through the muttering brothers towards the back.</p><p>"He's killed the elder Hanamura," he says as he draws close.</p><p>The waka-gashira nods, and pulls out his phone. He gives Souji a disappointed look but, after all, this is <em>his </em>fault, so why shouldn't he? "I'll make the call and find out what they know," he says, voice thick with annoyance. "You know, your father never made this much trouble for <em>his </em>father."</p><p>Souji grimaces at him, and the waka-gashira pats his shoulder delicately and waves him off, so Souji returns to them in the foyer.</p><p>Yosuke is crying by the time Souji returns, clinging to Teddie, thoroughly overwhelmed by everything that's happened. Teddie, for all he's apparently done, simply holds him in turn, looking like he's made peace with where he is in life. He's so small, so soft; how on earth did he manage it?</p><p>"Teddie," Yosuke whimpers, "you—how did—he could have hurt you..." It's not quite hit him that his father is dead, not yet. He still feels like a threat, like he might burst through the door any minute.</p><p>"He tried," Teddie murmurs, pulling back a little to reach up and brush Yosuke's hair out of his face. "But you know what they say, Yosuke. You mess with the bear, you get the claws!" A little in-joke about his nickname. Yosuke lets out a barking laugh that's also half sob.</p><p>Teddie's eyes drift, finding Souji, making steady contact. He's small, yes. Soft, yes. But he's done something even Yosuke was incapable of, that Souji himself had wanted: his gaze says, very plainly,<em> If you hurt him, you're next. </em>The sheer bravery to look at a yakuza like that— </p><p>Souji meets that gaze evenly, as the rest of the brothers go a little still, disquieted. Their postures shift, prepared for violence.</p><p>Then Yosuke squeezes Teddie, folding in around him. "You could go to prison, Ted...!"</p><p>"Whatever it takes," Teddie says. "He did the unforgivable, Yosuke. He hurt my little brother."</p><p>"Alright, enough lollygagging," the waka-gashira says, clapping his hands. "All of you, fuck off." As the brothers all slip away, he steps closer.</p><p>"<em>He</em> is on his way," he says to Souji, then looks at the two Hanamura brothers in the genkan. "An explanation, if you would."</p><p>Yosuke stares, then averts his gaze quickly. "I..."</p><p>"I've got it, Yosuke." Teddie pats Yosuke's back, very gently, then steps away from him and bows briefly to the waka-gashira. "My name is Hanamura Theodore. I'm Yosuke's adopted brother." He glances at Yosuke, a silent request for permission, granted in the form of a small nod.</p><p>"...Hanamura Shigeru was, um, reprimanded by you guys, yesterday," Teddie begins, unsure of whether to keep eye contact or not make it or what, so he mostly looks away, thoughtful. "And while he was reprimanded, I guess... I guess Yosuke and Seta-bocchan got acquainted." A little omission, as if everyone present doesn't know exactly what happened.</p><p>"When he was telling me about their... um, <em>acquaintanceship</em>, Hanamura-san heard him. I guess he snapped. He shoved me out of the room and he beat Yosuke, and..."</p><p>"He raped me," Yosuke says, plainly, voice void of emotion.</p><p>Teddie nods, a little fire in his eyes, a little wildness. "...Yeah. Well, when I found out, after Yosuke came here—I went to confront Hanamura-san. He..." Teddie flounders for a moment, searching for the words. Japanese is his second language, and he's also under a lot of unique stress. "...He said... things. And he tried to... he tried to hit T—me. He tried to hit me. And, where I'm from, you have to defend yourself..." </p><p>He paused for a second. Then, "I dunno. I just snapped. I grabbed a kitchen knife." A little helpless shrug, a glance at Yosuke. "I knew Yosuke came here. I know he trusts Seta-bocchan. And... I thought, well, if I'm gonna go to prison, I wanna see my brother one last time."</p><p>A pause, and then another bow. "That's what happened."</p><p>Souji says nothing, nor does the waka-gashira, for a long moment. Then they look at each other, an entire conversation in silence. Finally, Souji nods, and looks to Yosuke and Teddie again. He meets Yosuke's eyes, a little softness there.</p><p>"This way," he says quietly, before turning on his heel, to head in the other direction.</p><p>"I'll let you know when he's here," the waka-gashira says softly. "Have him wash up. I'll send clothes."</p><p>Souji nods and leaves without another word or look back, trusting the two of them to follow. No more revenge. It's been taken, in the most final way possible.</p><p>It makes a certain sense though, that Yosuke's brother—his family—should avenge him before Souji could make Yosuke officially his own family.</p><p>But still.</p><p><em>Still</em>.</p><p>Down a hall, towards a sterile guest bedroom. There's a bathroom, and he waves Teddie towards it with a murmured explanation, as he goes to the closet. There should be a child's yukata here somewhere that he can help him into.</p><p>Yosuke watches Teddie go into the bathroom, a little shared look between them, a smile from Teddie before he shuts the door. Then he turns to Souji, arms folded across his chest, nervous habit and closed off body language.</p><p>"...I can't believe it," Yosuke whispers, looking down at his arms, the faint blood on them (most of it was dry by the time Teddie arrived). "He's the sweetest guy I know..." But he survived fostercare, and has never questioned Yosuke's scraps with others.</p><p>Teddie was the figurative runt of the litter, a premature baby born on a United States military compound. He knew so little of the greater world of Japan for his first few years, and when his mother died suddenly and he was left without kin, fostercare descended down upon him like a cage. So much for the 'states protecting their own.</p><p>Yet when Yosuke met him, for all he'd been through, all he had to do just to survive at his size, he was so bright and cheerful. So soft. So loving.</p><p>He had a beast slumbering in him, it seemed. A great big demon bear.</p><p>Yosuke sighs and rubs his jaw with one hand. "He's really gone, huh."</p><p>Souji only nods, having found a yukata, but it's way too small. So an adult yukata it will have to be. It can be folded in place to hold, and Souji gathers several tasuki to do so with, along with an obi for his waist.</p><p>It's all a shock. It's all a terrible shock.</p><p>"You'd be surprised what people are capable of when pushed," Souji says softly. He glances back at Yosuke, a little sigh as he drapes everything on a chair before he goes to take his hand, a little squeeze. "Are you alright?"</p><p>Yosuke squeezes back, dropping his other arm, open body language again. "I... I'll be okay," he says, a little shake of his head, like he's defying his own words. Then he looks at Souji. "What about you? I... I saw the bandages..." Concern, fear shape his features. "Are <em>you </em>alright?"</p><p>Souji gives him a frown, confused. What? His bandages?</p><p>"I'm <em>fine</em>." Why is Yosuke asking about <em>him? </em>"Your brother just killed your father. I'm more worried about you, after everything." He saw that shake of his head. His 'I'll be okay' isn't really convincing. In a quieter voice, he says, "You don't have to be okay right now."</p><p>Yosuke watches Souji, searching his face. Is he really fine? Yosuke is so wrapped up in Souji, and now Teddie, it's hard to think about his own emotions. Hard to think at all.</p><p>"...I just want you two to be alright," he whispers, looking down, eyes wide. How does he feel? Does he feel anything at all? Anything besides the worry he feels for his partner and his brother?</p><p>"...Besides, isn't... someone coming? Is it your dad? I can't be crying about that right now, can I?" Yosuke looks back up at Souji. "This is my life now, isn't it? I... I have to be okay."</p><p>Souji touches his hair, pulling him into a hug around his shoulders. "It's not my father, no. It's someone who will make this go away."</p><p>But this... He touches Yosuke's cheek. "You don't have to be okay, no. You can take the time. You're safe here. And I'll make sure Teddie is safe here too."</p><p>Yosuke hesitantly brings his arms up, hugging loosely around Souji's waist, conscious of where he was struck. "I... I don't know how to feel," he admits, resting his face against Souji's shoulder. "He's... he's dead, which is good, but... he... he's my dad, so... I..." He takes a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm worried about Teddie... about... the things he must have seen."</p><p>It's easier to take care of others.</p><p>He's dead, and can't commit further harm. But now as well there can never be reconciliation. There is never a chance for the elder Hanamura to know the full damage of what he's done.</p><p>There can be no justice like this. There is only silence.</p><p>"He loves you," Souji says quietly.</p><p>Yosuke nods, holding onto Souji a little tighter. "Yeah, he... he does. He really does." Another breath. "It... doesn't feel real. You know? Like... <em>he's</em>... always been a part of my life. I wanted to be just like him when I was little. But he... and now..."</p><p>He shivers, hides his face against Souji's shoulder.</p><p>"Teddie's clean!" comes an announcement from the bathroom. "Relatively speaking! I can't seem to wash these pesky sins off my soul."</p><p>Yosuke snorts against Souji's shoulder. "Oh my god..."</p><p>...What a strange person. Still, his cheerfulness is welcome.</p><p>"Come out and I'll help you dress," Souji calls with a hand on Yosuke's neck, holding him close. If Yosuke didn't know how to wear yukata, there was no fucking way this weird foreigner would.</p><p>"Okay, but I'm warning you—I'm quite... <em>bear</em>."</p><p>"He loves bear puns," Yosuke explains in a snicker. "Because we—because I call him Teddie. I think he learned Japanese from a book of puns or something..."</p><p>Teddie pokes his head out of the bathroom, light hair plastered to his face instead of sticking out to the side. "No fair, Yosuke. I learned Japanese the same as you did: winging it until people understood me."</p><p>Yosuke laughs. It's a relief, to have Teddie being... well, Teddie. It makes him feel like things might be okay.</p><p>There's a softness in Souji's eyes, even as his face is carefully neutral. This is something he sees, something he knows from watching the older and younger brothers bicker and play. The sort of easy, casual relaxed banter of siblings.</p><p>"Come, I'll help you dress. I'm not sure when he'll be here, so we should be ready as soon as possible." That said, he goes to gather up the yukata, the tasuki, the obi, and waves him closer.</p><p>Teddie nods, walking out of the bathroom with absolutely no shame. Yosuke chuckles, a hand over his mouth, feeling a bit lighter.</p><p>"What? He's seen <em>you </em>naked," Teddie says, "unless you want to tell me you guys did the paddy-whack fully clothed?"</p><p>"Only once," Yosuke says, a little smirk.</p><p>Teddie gives him a mock look of utter surprise. "<em>Yosuke! </em>So filthy!"</p><p>"Dude, you don't know the half of it."</p><p>They laugh and banter as Souji helps Teddie dress—he's rather obedient, and seems to catch on quickly to what goes where and how it ties. After a moment of quiet, Teddie's easy smile falters.</p><p>"...Yosuke. How are you?"</p><p>"How am I? Dude, how are <em>you?</em>"</p><p>But Teddie shakes his head. "I'm fine, Yosuke. You're the one who..." He hesitates, looking away. "...he hurt you. How are you holding up?"</p><p>Yosuke folds his arms. "I'm... okay. It's been kind of a crazy night-slash-morning."</p><p>As strange as it is to just hear himself be talked about in front of him, Souji dismisses it as the sort of thing that would be said if he wasn't here, or possibly worse. So he focuses on folding the yukata, tying the tasuki around it, adjusting Teddie's limbs as needed in silence. The yukata really does not suit him. It's too dark, too somber for his coloring. But there's nothing to be done for it now.</p><p>As he stands, brushing some dust from Teddie's shoulder, he says, "I'm going to go see if he's—"</p><p>A knock comes, and, without hesitation, the waka-gashira opens the door. With him is a man in a mussed suit, his hair a mess.</p><p>"Hey, there you are, Sou," the man calls in an abrasive voice. "Long time no see, long time no see."</p><p>Souji only glances at him, but stands and gives him a perfunctory, clearly performative bow. "This is Adachi. He's a friend." To Adachi, he gestures to the two with him. "Hanamura Yosuke, and Hanamura... Teddie."</p><p>Adachi waves a little. "Which one of these little fuckers poked the old man?"</p><p>Souji opens his mouth as if to say something, before thinking better of it and saying nothing instead. The waka-gashira sighs instead. "I'll have them send something to eat."</p><p>Teddie seems perfectly pleased with this turn of events, for some reason. "Hello!" he greets enthusiastically. "Are you a cop? Ooh! A <em>dirty</em> cop! You help the yakuza!"</p><p>"Teddie, calm down," Yosuke says, a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's... uh, nice to meet you, Adachi-san." His stomach growls a little, and he puts a hand over it. Oh, he <em>is </em>hungry. Food sounds great. And what a... collection of people they've got, now.</p><p>Teddie seems content to smile at everyone who looks his way. Yosuke is nervous, staying mostly between him and Souji.</p><p>Adachi laughs a little, pained, as he sits without being invited to do so; Souji's brow twitches. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. So which one—"</p><p>"It was Teddie," Souji says, as he gestures for everyone to sit. "Hanamura attacked Yosuke yesterday, and then attempted to attack Teddie today. Teddie fought back."</p><p>Adachi hums and nods for a long moment. "Can I hear it from them or you gonna talk for them the whole time?"</p><p>Souji's eyes narrow.</p><p>Adachi grins, and, covering his mouth, he leans closer to Yosuke, a conspiratorial and overloud whisper. "He's kinda a control freak."</p><p>Yosuke blushes and looks down at his lap. Yeah, and he's hot for that, so mind your business, Adachi.</p><p>"Well, Seta-bocchan is right," Teddie says, putting a finger to his chin. "Yosuke got hurt and left... Hanamura-san attacked me when I confronted him... and I stabbed him until he stopped moving." He smiles wide, like that's fine, but there's just the barest hint of a strain to it. "What he did was unforgivable, so, I'm not really sorry."</p><p>Adachi grimaces. "This is really inconvenient... Media's gonna have a field day, haha... A foreign kid. You know how xenophobic they are."</p><p>"Can you arrange for a scapegoat?" Souji asks.</p><p>"I mean, I guess..." Adachi sighs. "There's that guy who fucked up the lottery thing."</p><p>Souji nods. "If Takeshi says it's alright. I thought he had plans for him."</p><p>"Yeah, well, the lottery guy's already got a knife charge on him–– Hey, Blondie, what kinda knife was it?"</p><p>"One of those big chef ones," Teddie says with a nod. "From the kitchen."</p><p>Yosuke puts his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. "Jesus christ, Ted..."</p><p>"It made the most sense!" Teddie says in his defense. "It looked sharp, it was big... it appealed to me, as a weapon."</p><p>"That's a fucked up thing to say, but who am I to judge?" Adachi looks up as the door opens, and it's the waka-gashira with a tray of food. "Hey, Takeshi, remember that dumbass running lotto scams?"</p><p>"If you mean Takahara, yes," the waka-gashira says as he puts the tray down in the middle. There's tea, small crackers and the like. "Lunch is coming. What about Takahara?"</p><p>Adachi reaches for a biscuit. "He's got that knife charge. Might be a easy scapegoat."</p><p>"That was a tanto knife. Not a kitchen knife."</p><p>"Yeah, but a knife's a knife," Adachi says. "Media's not gonna care and if the prints match, they match."</p><p>The waka-gashira frowns. "True."</p><p>Yosuke watches the exchange, carefully taking a biscuit to nibble on. Teddie does the same, except he's far less shy about how hungry he is, and is on his second within moments.</p><p>"You do this for a living, Adachi-san?" Yosuke asks quietly, wary with the waka-gashira in the room. He can't read the guy for the life of him, and he commands such an aura of power... Yosuke is terrified of messing up any more than he already has.</p><p>"Well, the yakuza need cops like him, don't they?" Teddie says, swallowing his food. "To make sure their higher-ups don't go to prison, and the like."</p><p>Chivalrous organization indeed, Yosuke thinks, casting a glance at Souji.</p><p>The waka-gashira shoots Souji a stern look, and Souji bows his head a little with a frown. Of course they'd just ask something like this, out in the open, in front of someone who they don't know whether or not can know the intricacies of the hierarchy.</p><p>Yosuke ducks his head again. Wrong thing to ask. Mistakes will be made, and he'll learn from them; that's how it works. Teddie seems less perturbed, but goes quiet, sipping his tea and watching Adachi.</p><p>Souji shakes his head to Yosuke and Teddie. "Not quite. I'll educate you both on the inner workings later––"</p><p>"Yeah, Sou, gotta educate your boys." Adachi gives Souji a wide, sleazy grin. "As for me, you're too kind. I'm just a dirty cop," he says, touching his chest as if flattered. "Nah, there's lawyers for that shit. I just make the little problems go away."</p><p>What Yosuke doesn't understand is how Adachi is getting away with giving Souji a nickname. Yosuke's afraid to even say his full given name around all these people that call him <em>waka </em>and <em>bocchan</em>. That's more of a private affair, something he likes to keep between them.</p><p>He looks at Souji again, a little helpless. Will there be any time today to just relax, alone together?</p><p>Souji catches him looking and something softens around his eyes. Soon, he seems to say. Just hold on and this will all be over soon.</p><p>"Anyway. Whaddaya think, Takeshi?"</p><p>"If you can handle it, I'd appreciate it."</p><p>Adachi claps suddenly, a bright violent sound that comes out of nowhere. "Great! So, kid, Blondie. Your story is simple. Dad fucking got violent with Big Bro. You got pissed and fucked off. Went looking for Big Bro. You never saw nothing. Think you can keep that straight?"</p><p>Yosuke jolts at the clap, then looks to Teddie. Teddie grins.</p><p>"Can do, 'cept for one part—I'm the older brother." He puffs out his chest, proud of himself. Yosuke snickers.</p><p>"He's small, but he's a year older than me," Yosuke clarifies. "Believe me, we were surprised, too."</p><p>Adachi coos and gives them a saccharine smile, before it falls to disdain. "Kay. Anyway, I gotta get going. Got a crime scene to contaminate, baby!" He stands, giving them all a mocking salute, before giving a wider, slower smile to Souji, who meets his gaze with a quiet frown. "We should do these family dinners more often, huh, Sou?" Adachi said, before turning, a little nod to the waka-gashira.</p><p>"I'll walk you out," the waka-gashira says.</p><p>And then they're gone, and Souji sighs. "I'm... sorry. About him," he says quietly. "He's just... like that."</p><p>"It's fine," Yosuke says, looking more tired than he is. "He's... interesting, at least." He leans back, a little sigh of his own, smoothing a hand over the sweatshirt Souji gave him. "I feel like an idiot every time I'm around anyone who isn't you."</p><p>Teddie, seeming to realize Yosuke's in more distress than he lets on, doesn't tease. Instead, "What now?" and an inquisitive look at Souji, with a small glance Yosuke's way. <em>Please take care of him. </em>He seems to have shifted his stance on Souji rather quickly.</p><p>Souji catches the look, and nods, a nod so small he isn't sure Teddie will be able to follow it.</p><p>"For now, we will eat. Then Yosuke needs to rest. It was a difficult night." He says it with all his authority: this will not be argued. "I have some—"</p><p>It's the waka-gashira, again, a knock before letting himself in. He comes in, a tension in the corners of his mouth.</p><p>Souji stares up at him.</p><p>The waka-gashira glances at the two, and then meets Souji's eyes. "Your father wishes to speak with you."</p><p>Souji goes white, but stands, immediately, and, without another word, leaves.</p><p>The waka-gashira watches him go, before looking down at the other two. "You should stay here. Lunch will be by soon, and then you can rest here."</p><p>Yosuke is immediately on alert, worry and concern, a fear on his face. There will be little, if any rest; that much is immediately apparent. The bandages around Souji's chest...</p><p>"I'm sorry, Yosuke," Teddie murmurs, picking at the fabric of his borrowed yukata. "I've made a huge mess for everyone, didn't I?"</p><p>"...it's not your fault, Ted," Yosuke replies, pulling his legs up to hug his knees. "It's <em>his</em>. Just... he's dead now. He can't take responsibility for it."</p><p>Teddie's not sure that 'taking responsibility' would have been any less than death anyway. </p><p>All the while, the waka-gashira watches them.</p><p>"There are rules that need to be followed," he says, something almost like gentleness in his voice. "And now you are Waka's responsibility. So where before, your mistakes needed to be paid for by your father, Yosuke-kun, now any mistakes you make will need to be paid for by Waka. As this is your brother, you are responsible for his mistakes, as Waka is responsible for yours."</p><p>He gives them a meaningful look, and his voice is quiet and intentional. "I do hope you remember that going forward."</p><p>Yosuke looks up, hesitantly meeting the waka-gashira's eyes. He doesn't expect sympathy from this man, or even understanding. To expect as much would be foolish. He wants to be disparaging towards the idea of "family," in that way, but isn't it true that his own family has always been just the same way? There was no love there, either. Not until Teddie.</p><p>Yosuke nods, a little bow of his head without moving from his position. "Thank you," he says, not knowing how to refer to the man—Takeshi seems to be his name, but not the one <em>he </em>should use. He looks lost. He <em>feels </em>lost. In some ways, he still hates the yakuza, if only because Souji is theirs to do with as they wish. </p><p>Teddie bows his head too. "We appreciate the advice," he adds, helpfully.</p><p>The waka-gashira nods; there's a small twitch to the corner of his lips at the thanks. "You may refer to me as Uncle."</p><p>He turns to leave, and then pauses. "He won't be long. An hour at the most. It won't be as bad as this morning." It's meant to be comforting. Then, this little secret thing he likely should not have said aside, he leaves without another word.</p><p>"This morning...?" Teddie asks, but Yosuke has already buried his face in his knees.</p><p>It's a struggle to get Yosuke to eat, or talk, or even rest after that, so Teddie takes to talking to him, gently. Eventually Yosuke does move to go lay down, but he curls in on himself, miserable.</p><p>It's not fair. His father brutalized him, this isn't <em>fair</em>. Souji shouldn't have to hurt because of things did outside of his counsel. He shouldn't have to hurt because of Yosuke... If he'd never called Souji, Souji never would have been hurt. Maybe his dad would even still be alive. Then what, though?</p><p>What could he have possibly done differently?</p><p>"...he said you wanted it."</p><p>"What?" Yosuke looks up from the tear stains he's leaving in the pillow, to Teddie, sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to Yosuke.</p><p>Teddie sighs. "He said, you were a whore, and you clearly wanted to... be taken, like that," he says slowly. "He said it was a lesson you needed to learn... That you deserved it." He looks down at his lap, twisting his fingers together. "And I snapped. I'm sorry, Yosuke."</p><p>Yosuke stares for a moment, before turning onto his other side, and curling in around Teddie.</p><p>...</p><p>It takes an hour, but Souji comes back in the same state as before, shaking and pale. He knocks, before letting himself into the guest bedroom.</p><p>"You can use this bedroom until something else is prepared for the two of you," Souji says quietly as he walks in towards the bed without looking up, stopping just out of reach. "Yosuke, with me. Teddie, stay here."</p><p>Yosuke slowly sits up, sliding off of the bed and standing next to Souji, but not touching. He gives Teddie a single, teary-eyed look, and Teddie nods. "O-okay. Teddie stays here. Um... good luck, you guys."</p><p>Souji nods, and then leaves without a word. It's a short walk between this corridor and the other with his room, and he opens the door and nudges Yosuke inside, before following after. The door closes with a heavy click.</p><p>Then, inside, he grabs Yosuke by the shoulder to turn him and kisses, hard and desperate, hands to his shoulders to hold him in place.</p><p>Yosuke arches, kissing back with a heady desperation he didn't know was there. He's been so worried and scared and upset and angry that he almost forgot this part—the need. It's not just because he's a horny teenager, though, not now. It's also because he loves Souji—wants to be his, wholly, completely.</p><p>But everything is so much. There are tears on his cheeks even as he opens his mouth for Souji's tongue.</p><p>Souji meets the opening of his mouth with his tongue already ready, his hands slipping down to the bottom of Yosuke's borrowed sweatshirt, to tug at it. <em>Take this off.</em> His hands move to his own shirt, to hurry through the buttons there. Underneath he has fresh bandages, in the same place as before.</p><p>Still kissing him, heavy, deep, Souji crowds up against him, back towards the bed.</p><p>Yosuke pulls the sweatshirt over his head and tosses it aside just in time to be herded towards the bed. He kisses back, silently crying, hands light on the bandages even as he bites Souji's lip, gets as physical with him as he can. He doesn't know where to put his hands. He doesn't know how to get the image of his father out of his head. He doesn't know anything but the need thrumming through his body and the bone-deep grief of everything that's happened.</p><p>There is <em>only </em>grief here.</p><p>They're not strong enough for this, apart. But maybe together they can navigate this. Souji grabs at Yosuke's hands, pressing them tight against his bandaged chest; there are no wounds here and he wants to feel him closer.</p><p>With Yosuke's back hurt, there's so much they can't do. He pulls him towards the bed, twisting with a flash of pain across his face that quickly vanishes. He sits, and pulls Yosuke closer, hands up to the waistband of the sweatpants, looking up at his face before tugging the pants down for him to step out of.</p><p>Yosuke steps out quickly, then stands there, breath heaving, cheeks wet. Souji is so beautiful. So blindingly, wonderfully perfect. Yosuke bites his lip, a little tremble there, before lowering himself into Souji's lap and taking his partner's face in his hands.</p><p>"I love you," he whispers, and then they're kissing again, hot and wet and needy.</p><p>Yosuke's still crying, and breaks the kiss with a little whimper before going in for another, more desperate than the last.</p><p>They're only sixteen. This is too much for either of them. But maybe together they can manage.</p><p>Yosuke is beautifully heavy in Souji’s lap, his hands warm on his face, and Souji leans up to meet his kiss. He hates this. He hates all of it. He wants to go back to—fuck, was it yesterday? the day before?—when everything made sense.</p><p>He strokes over Yosuke’s thighs, up to his hips, careful and mindful of the bruises that he's memorized the placement of. He pushes Yosuke up onto his knees, so he can undo his own pants, and shift them down off his hips, pulling Yosuke back to sit in his lap.</p><p>"I love you," Souji whispers against Yosuke’s mouth, before kissing him again, harder, deeper, trying to steal his breath.</p><p>Yosuke wishes it was different. That he was on his back, legs parallel with his chest, Souji tongue-fucking him. Like the first time. Or pressed up against the sink, back arched as his hair was yanked, like the second time. There's no room for any of that; they're both too hurt. This is the easiest. So he kisses back, and grinds himself against Souji, his hardness.</p><p>"I n-need you," Yosuke gasps, arms around Souji's neck now. "Don't—don't ever leave me. Please..."</p><p>The grind is wonderful, but it's painful in a way too. This isn't what he wants. This isn't what Yosuke wants either. But this is what they can do. So it will have to do, for now.</p><p>This is a part of healing.</p><p>"I won't," Souji says, hands fastening on his hips. "Never. You're mine."</p><p>"Yours," Yosuke whispers in turn, a hand in Souji's hair, the other on his face, stroking his cheek. "Yours... I'm yours." He leans in for another kiss, desperate, passionate, wanting. <em>Don't go. Don't ever go.</em></p><p>Only Yosuke touches Souji’s hair and his face with reverence.</p><p>And Yosuke <em>doesn't </em>want this, but he <em>does</em>, all the same, because it's Souji. He wants—<em>needs </em>Souji. Especially now, when the last intimacy he had was from a man he now knows to be dead.</p><p>Souji lines Yosuke up, hanging onto his hips, and, watching his face, pulls him down slowly. This is the least sexy sex he's ever even imagined, but it's not about the sex, is it?</p><p>Yosuke doesn't care at all. It's perfect, for what it is, and he sinks down a little faster than Souji is guiding. But he doesn't move after that—he sits, full of Souji, arms around his neck, and trembles.</p><p>He wants to stop crying. He wants to be sexy and flirty and fun, he wants things to just go back. But they can't. All he can do is move forward.</p><p>Maybe, if Souji is with him, he can...</p><p>Souji leans in to kiss him, softer, deep and sweet. He trembles, overwhelmed and the lingering adrenaline burst from the caning wearing on his nerves. But this is how it should be, maybe: he and Yosuke together. Moving forward. Nothing else.</p><p>"I love you," he says softly, against his lips.</p><p>"I love you too," Yosuke murmurs back, another kiss, before he ducks his head and hides his face against Souji's neck. "I want to be yours... a-always. I..." More tears, and he can't stop them, goddammit. He clings.</p><p>Souji has given him respect from the first moment, in the form of accepting his identity, his name. Souji has done so much for him since then... He didn't deserve to be hurt...!</p><p>One hand goes down, touching the bandages against Souji's chest, a little press. The lashings are on his back... Oh, Souji...</p><p>Souji lets Yosuke touch his chest, over the tight wind of bandages. It isn't so bad. It could be worse. It could always be worse.</p><p>...It's not really a comfort, knowing that it could be worse.</p><p>His hands on Yosuke’s hips tighten, a slow rock out, a slow rock back inside.</p><p>Yosuke moans softly; it still feels good, for all it isn't quite what they want. He's not sure he's going to come, but as long as Souji does, he'll be happy. He needs that... needs Souji to wipe away the last of whatever his father left in him.</p><p>He continues holding Souji, trying to impress upon him the love inside his heart. Things will be hard, but they will be together.</p><p>A thought comes to him, and Yosuke takes Souji's face in hand once more, a little smile through his tears.</p><p>"<em>Mine.</em>"</p><p>Souji stares up at him, eyes wide. It's a temporary reflection of shock, too late to hide before the mask comes slamming down over his features again and he nods up at him in reverent, awed silence.</p><p>He is Yosuke's, Yosuke is his.</p><p>His hips move, and he holds onto Yosuke, and watches his face. Whatever it is that happens next, Yosuke will be by his side. Life is never simple or neat and this situation will take time to resolve beyond the slow journey through and away from the trauma of it all. If that's even possible.</p><p>Yosuke closes his eyes, smiling, finding it a little easier to enjoy now that he's had this revelation. Souji is his, just as much as he is Souji's. He'll still let Souji lead them, but they truly are <em>partners</em>, and they will stand shoulder-to-shoulder through their trauma. He loves Souji—so much that it's almost blinding, so much that it overwhelms him. Is he just a lovestruck teenager...? Or is there more to it, a quick bond with real meaning? He feels like it's the latter... They've been through so much together already.</p><p>He begins to move his hips with Souji's, helping to build a momentum between them, and kisses him, reverently.</p><p>It's almost too much: the movement and sex and how his body seems disconnected from his brain; the soft revelation of Yosuke's own possessiveness; the exhaustion and overwhelmingness of everything. Souji has no sense of time left, he has no idea what day it is, let alone hour, and that makes this feel all the more dreamlike.</p><p>There is nothing in the world but the two of them and where their bodies meet and part.</p><p>His hands squeeze Yosuke’s hips, the momentum building, kissing him gently, slow. It's just them. Nothing else is real but this.</p><p>It feels good. Not just the sex, but the kissing, the hands secure on his hips, the knowledge that Souji loves him. And Yosuke wonders, somewhere distant, how many times Souji has been through the pain he feels right now; surely never a situation so crazy, but the lashings...? How many times has he been alone when that happened? Yosuke is here now. He can at least continue to be here, continue to love Souji for all he's worth.</p><p>Everything is so insane. His father is dead. Where is his mother? Teddie killed someone. And here Yosuke is, in love with a yakuza, fucking him like he's the only thing in the world. Wild. He kisses Souji again, and again, and again.</p><p>Souji is used to being alone. He's still not yet used to having Yosuke sweet and heavy in his lap, to having Yosuke looking down at him with love in his eyes, to the slow crescendo of need driving Souji to stare up at him in barely held back adoration. He's not used to anyone being here the way that Yosuke is here. He's not used to the feeling of willing responsibility for another person that's wrapped around his heart.</p><p>He makes a sound, almost like a sound of pain, but it's want, need, building. "Yosuke," he breathes, slipping his tongue into his mouth.</p><p>Yosuke’s name is heaven on Souji's lips. Never has Yosuke been more sure of his choice—it sounds so perfect when Souji says it, like it's meant to be. He sucks on Souji's tongue, hands in his hair, hips moving in time to the rhythm of Souji's need.</p><p>"Souji," he murmurs back, fingers running through his hair, lovingly. "Come for me, Souji..."</p><p>But Yosuke clearly isn't even close... Is this just for him? ...But isn't that then also for Yosuke? To be his? It's unsettling, and maybe they should have talked first, but Souji is too close to really be able to think about it too much. Yosuke's words are just kerosene on the fire, and Souji pulls him down, hands clamped on his hips, his mouth open against his as he comes, buried deep.</p><p>It feels good, even though Yosuke can't feel his own orgasm coming any time soon. Souji holding him down, so fierce, so possessive... The warm rush inside of him... He licks along Souji's lower lip, looking pleased. And he is. Orgasm or no, he feels... like he's where he needs to be. Like he's been claimed by the man he loves again, the scratches and dents of his abuse wiped away. Never again can he be hurt the way he was... Souji has him now. He belongs to Souji.</p><p>"You're so perfect," he whispers, hands on Souji's face again. "So incredible..."</p><p>As his vision settles, as his heart starts to ease from thundering, Souji looks up at him, breath still heavy.</p><p>Yosuke looks... happy. Even though this was one-sided. Was this Yosuke giving himself to Souji, happily? Was this different from what his father did? <strike>Or did Souji just use Yosuke's body for his own ends?</strike> It has to be different, right?</p><p>...Right?</p><p>But Yosuke is holding his face, smiling down at him like he hung the moon, adoring and soft, and Souji doesn't think he understands. But maybe it's not for him to understand. Maybe all Souji can do is hold him, and lean up to kiss him even though it makes the lashes on his back pull and sting, and whisper that he loves him against Yosuke's lips. Maybe being here is all Souji can do. Maybe time is all that can heal the rest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Brotherhood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yosuke meets his new brothers.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yosuke's hands fall to Souji's shoulders, and he kisses Souji for all he's worth, so happy every time he hears Souji say he loves him. Then he pulls back, smiling, reaching up to gently stroke Souji's cheek.</p><p>"Thank you," he says, sincerely. "I think I needed that... no, I know I needed that. I don't think I can finish unless you do something extra, though, and I dunno if either of us are up for that..." He laughs, breathless. "...It's okay, though. You must be so tired." Yosuke would be, but he's still wired, honestly. Everything has been so much. And with the sun rising higher in the sky, it's hard to imagine sleeping...</p><p>"What a mess," he mutters.</p><p>It is a mess. And there's always more that needs to be done. Souji rests his head against Yosuke's shoulder.</p><p>He needs to resume the normalcy of his own life, and start arranging things for Yosuke, and now, for Teddie as well. But he's tired, and worn, exhausted. Souji wants to just rest, he wants everything to just stop for five minutes. But there's no chance of that happening.</p><p>"We should get you back to Teddie," he says quietly, so quietly that maybe he can pretend he isn't saying this at all, that everything outside of this room doesn't exist. "And I have to get back to work."</p><p>Yosuke wraps his arms around Souji's shoulders and holds him, wishing for all the world they could just stay here like this. He doesn't want to be apart from Souji. He doesn't want Souji to have to deal with any of this, especially not on his own. He's powerless, though, unable to do anything but follow along.</p><p>"I love you," he says softly. "So much." It's all he can really do; loving Souji is all he really has. They'll get through this... they have to.</p><p>Souji nods, and kisses him back.</p><p>"They'll deliver food for you later on. If you need anything, just text me and I'll arrange for it. The police will be by later. I won't be able to sit in. Just remind Teddie of what he agreed to."</p><p>His mind is already returning to the work he needs to do, the conversations that need to be had, the rest.</p><p>"Then, tonight..." He focuses on him again. "If you want to sleep here, you can."</p><p>"I do," Yosuke says, almost immediately. "I... I do. I want to be here." Even if Souji isn't. Even if it just smells like him, that'll be enough.</p><p>He extracts himself slowly, giving Souji another kiss before heading into his bathroom to at least make sure nothing is going to drip into his pants. That done, Yosuke pulls his borrowed clothes back on, wincing as his back stretches, before pulling Souji into yet another kiss.</p><p>Back to Teddie, then. Yosuke wishes he could hold Souji's hand along the way—Ah, but they can't.</p><p>It's a relief to Souji that Yosuke wants to be here though. Something to look forward to.</p><p>A patrol officer who is clearly uncomfortable to be there comes not long later, to interview Teddie in the foyer. He doesn't want to make a fuss, no, it's alright, they can do this here, he doesn't need to go in further, thank you, no tea for him, thanks. He nods and bows more than is necessary, gives his condolences, and leaves in a hurry. After he's gone, the waka-gashira, who had been lingering in a doorway, has a man in a suit with slicked-back hair and sunglasses walk Yosuke and Teddie back to their room. The suited man has a little stool, and he sits there outside their door, giving them a thumbs-up as they're hurried back inside.</p><p>And then quiet, and silence. This overlong day moves to evening, then to night. Souji doesn't arrive, and dimly, Teddie and Yosuke can hear the suited man talking to someone outside the bedroom door in a hushed voice.</p><p>Teddie, busying himself with poking around the room for anything interesting, stops when they hear the voice. They'd been quiet, mostly, Yosuke drifting in and out of sleep as the day wore on, and now they share a look with one another. There's been so little going on in their little island in the middle of this storm. Teddie walks back to the bed, sitting down next to Yosuke, and Yosuke reaches out to grab his hand.</p><p>It feels good, at least, to not be alone. Yosuke is grateful for that. Grateful to have Teddie, whom he loves so dearly. Teddie, for the most part, seems to understand the gravity of the situation and has been careful about when he puts on his happy mask and makes jokes. Yosuke needs it, sometimes, but other times it's just jarring.</p><p>So they listen, and they wait.</p><p>One of the voices is low and steady, the other brighter and more melodic. It's a slow conversation, with lots of pauses, lots of silences that stretch on enough to make them wonder if the speakers had disappeared.</p><p>Another voice joins soon, younger, muted. This third voice says something, and then there's another one of those long silences. The deeper voice says something, and then there's a knock on the door.</p><p>Yosuke and Teddie share another look. Then Yosuke slides off the bed, slowly approaching the door to open it. The fear he feels is nigh overwhelming—he has no idea what to expect.</p><p>Outside are two men in suits, and a younger man who can't really be that much older than Yosuke. The two in suits are night indistinguishable: lanky with sunglasses and overstyled hair, dark suits with high buttoned collars. The third's hair is mussed, and he's in pajamas.</p><p>"Yeah, that's the one. Waka said he's got orange hair, kinda," the younger one says, and gives Yosuke a leering grin and a thumbs up.</p><p>Yosuke blinks. Is there... some specific way he's supposed to respond to this? He doesn't like that grin, and doesn't know what the thumbs up means. Waka, though—that's Souji. He knows that. So they've been talking to Souji, but why? About what?</p><p>"...Do you need me for something?" he asks, quietly.</p><p>They nod, and the one on the stool next to the door leans his elbow on his knee to peer at Yosuke. "So you're the new guy."</p><p>"That's so fuckin' rude," the other suit mutters. "I'm Yoshikawa, this asshole's Tanaka." The one on the stool nods.</p><p>Yoshikawa continues. "Little fucker's Kazuki." The younger one waves.</p><p>They all look at Yosuke expectantly.</p><p>Oh. His name? Did Souji not tell them his name? Or maybe he did, but Yosuke is supposed to introduce himself anyway? "Hanamura," he says, a little incline of his head, even though these guys don't appear to be trying to be respectful in the slightest. Which is fine, he's just... lost. He opens the door a little wider, looking less like he's trying to hide behind it. Do they know he's...? They're referring to him as a guy, at least...</p><p>They also don't seem necessarily aggressive. Maybe it's okay to relax a little. "I'm a bit lost," he says, a small, nervous laugh. "Waka didn't tell me about what to expect."</p><p>Tanaka snorts, and Yoshikawa glares at him. "Yeah, Waka's got his, uh, hands full as usual," Yoshikawa says, but there's a joke there under his words that has him and Tanaka snickering.</p><p>"It's okay! You'll get the hang of things soon," Kazuki offers, frowning at the others. "Don't listen to them. They're just dicks."</p><p>"Hey," Tanaka barks at Kazuki, suddenly angry. "Respect your elders." But after a moment he breaks into a bright laugh.</p><p>Yosuke relaxes a little more. They seem... nice? Less stiff and formal than practically everyone else he's met. He's not sure what the laughter about Souji having his hands full means, though. Maybe better not to ask.</p><p>"Thanks," he says, a genuine smile on his face as he looks at Kazuki. "I'll definitely try. I mean, I'm not the first new guy there's ever been, right?" He's technically not even the newest anymore, now that Teddie's here. Semantics.</p><p>It's late, he realizes, having so little grasp of the time with his constant napping and otherwise daydreaming. So why are three entire men here? Okay, well, the first one already was, but— what's with two more? Do they need him for something? Maybe better to wait until they tell him...</p><p>Kazuki shakes his head. "Nah, but you're Waka's, and not Oyassan's, so it's different."</p><p>"The first of 'em that Waka's kept for himself at least," Tanaka says in a low voice, and Yoshikawa snorts.</p><p>Kazuki gives Yosuke a wide-eyed look, like 'Can you believe these assholes?' "Yeah, so, anyway, everyone's curious 'bout you two. Waka's told us all to fuck off, but—"</p><p>"But Tanaka's on guard duty, and I'm here to change with him," Yoshikawa offers with a grin. "And Kazuki's just paaaaaaassing by, aren't you, little brother?"</p><p>Kazuki grins, not at all chastised.</p><p>Yosuke goes bright red.</p><p>
  <em>Oh.</em>
</p><p>Well, that explains that. Like his immediate response of looking like he's just been found with his hands down his pants doesn't say everything.</p><p>"Um... I shouldn't say anything he doesn't want me to say," he says, scratching his cheek, a little telltale smile on his flushed face.</p><p>Tanaka laughs, overloud, and Yoshikawa only shakes his head.</p><p>"You gotta understand, Hanamura," Kazuki attempts to explain, "this ain't how things're done, y'know? Not how they'd been done before. So everyone's real fuckin' curious." He nods his head, particularly to Tanaka.</p><p>"Yeah, what about the foreigner?" Tanaka asks, leaning in closer to Yosuke. "You guys––"</p><p>"Waka will castrate you, he hears the end of that sentence," Yoshikawa reminds Tanaka.</p><p>Yosuke looks around, then peers down the hall, like he's looking for Souji. Then, "First of all, he's my brother, so no. Whatever you're about to ask, no. Secondly—" Another glance, like Souji might appear at any moment. "...No one dates here? At all? Are you guys fucking <em>monks?</em>" A little casualness, there. To repay them for their friendliness.</p><p>All three men blink at him, and then break into their respective laughters: Tanaka loud and boisterous, Yoshikawa with a hand over his mouth, and Kazuki giggling into his hand.</p><p>"I mean, sure, we all date. Yoshikawa's fuckin' married, got a kid on the way and everything," Tanaka says; Yoshikawa nods in confirmation. "Kazuki's got a girlfriend–– Right? You still with that girl? Yeah, she's a good girl. You treat her right!"</p><p>Kazuki grins.</p><p>Tanaka looks back at Yosuke. "Me, I don't like to be tied down. You know how it is."</p><p>"Meaning no woman worth her fuckin' brain'll put up with him for more than a casual roll in the hay," Yoshikawa corrects, and Tanaka laughs again.</p><p>"Congratulations," Yosuke says to Yoshikawa, smiling. Then he looks down, smiling more shyly, reaching up to run his hand through his bangs. "Look, um... I really don't know a lot about any of this, what I can say, or do, but... I like him a lot. Waka, I mean." Souji. No one calls him that; only Yosuke. "I don't wanna get him in trouble... I mean. Is he... um."</p><p>He looks up at them, then glances around again. "Is he... allowed to... you know, be with people? Like..."</p><p>A look down and away. Then, very, very softly: "...love... people...?"</p><p>Tanaka opens his mouth, and before he can speak, Yoshikawa pushes him off the stool. "Alright, this is above your paygrade. Fuck off. You're due back anyway."</p><p>"Aw, c'mon, you're not––"</p><p>"Out," Yoshikawa says, before sitting on the stool himself; Kazuki comes a little closer as Tanaka rubs the back of his neck.</p><p>"See you around, Hanamura," Tanaka says with a sulk, before heading down the hall, through one of the side doors.</p><p>Yoshikawa watches him go, before looking at Yosuke again, his expression a little concerned. "Waka does whatever the fuck he wants, you understand that, right?"</p><p>Yosuke watches the exchange, then looks at Yoshikawa, a little shake of his head. "His... um. O-Oyassan? Doesn't he, and... and Uncle... don't they have a lot of rules for him? He's always got so much to do, and... he got... He was in so much trouble after what Teddie and I did." A little jerk of his chin, towards the room, that's Teddie.</p><p>"So... he can just be with me?" he asks, a little hopefully.</p><p>There's a stillness that passes between Kazuki and Yoshikawa, for different reasons, based on their expressions.</p><p>"Waka got in trouble-trouble for that?" Kazuki asks quietly, worried. "Not just gettin' yelled at by Uncle?"</p><p>"Yeah, didn't you hear?" Yoshikawa looks over at him, a little shrug. "Oyassan was fuckin' livid. I ain't seen him like that in years. Not since... Ah, you're too new to things to remember. But yeah. He was fuckin' pissed." He laughs a little. "But you know Waka. Not a fuckin' sound out of him."</p><p>"Is he okay...?" Kazuki asks, softer still.</p><p>"He's our Waka. He's fine." That answered, Yoshikawa turns to Yosuke again. "Depends on what you're asking, Hanamura. If you're askin' if he can share a bed with you, sure. He can do that for as long as it's not a problem for the family."</p><p>Yosuke gives Kazuki a look. He's newer, obviously, maybe he... understands, what Yosuke's going through. He can't express in one look how worried he is for Souji, though. So he looks at Yoshikawa again. "Okay, so... that's the line? A problem for the family?"</p><p>He hesitates, trying to not look as nervous as he is. He wants to trust people, so desperately. He wants to have someone to talk to about all this, who can give him a real answer. But what if everything he says just climbs the chain until Souji is in trouble again?</p><p>"...what <em>would </em>be a problem for the family?" he asks, quietly.</p><p>Kazuki looks up at Yoshikawa along with Yosuke, seemingly just as invested in the answer to the question.</p><p>"Uh, well." Yoshikawa looks a little uncomfortable. "You're not from another family so there's no, y'know, politics or whatever. If you leave the family, that might cause some problems but, y'know, we can date outside the house, obviously, so I guess it'd depend on how you left. The only big one I can think of offhand is once he gets married."</p><p>Yosuke tries very, very, very hard to not look like the world has just been ripped out from under his feet.</p><p>"Once?"</p><p>"Well, yeah," Yoshikawa says. "Once he gets married."</p><p>He leans in, a conspiratorial whisper. "You know Uncle and Oyassan were real close back in the day. They had to cut that shit once Oyassan got married, y'know? Ain't proper." He straightens with a frown. "Though I dunno, her family could have put up more of a stink about it all, but I wasn't there. I only heard it from my older brothers, when I was your age."</p><p>Kazuki is watching Yosuke though, his expression concerned. "But, um, Oniisan, does Waka have to get married?"</p><p>Yoshikawa looks perplexed down at Kazuki. "Yes? The hell kind of question is that. What, you want him to have an heir out of wedlock?"</p><p>"And if he does?"</p><p>The question comes out of Yosuke's mouth so fast he can't even think about stopping it. So he just continues; "What if he... has an heir? Out of wedlock? What then?"</p><p>Yoshikawa grimaces. "That'd be real fuckin' bad for everyone, actually. Fuck. I don't even want to think about it."</p><p>"But what would happen?" Kazuki presses.</p><p>"Shit, kid, I don't know. The family'd probably pay the ma to fuck off somewhere far, far away and pay for everything the kid needed. It ain't right that such a kid would be his heir so... Shit. I don't know. He'd still have to get married and have a heir of his own though. And all this is nice and good speculation, but it's <em>Waka </em>we're talking about." Yoshikawa shakes his head. "He's even more concerned with the right way of doing things than Oyassan some days. He wouldn't do that." Yoshikawa pauses. "Then again I never thought he'd, y'know. All this."</p><p>So that's not an option. Yosuke looks down, a little pale. He didn't want to have to get pregnant anyway, and—fuck, he should make sure he's not, shouldn't he? That's the last goddamn thing anyone needs, him included.</p><p>"He never told me," he mutters. Then he laughs, a little unsteady. "I mean... god, he doesn't tell me anything. I—"</p><p>Does Souji actually love him?</p><p>"I think... I need to sit down."</p><p>Yoshikawa stands up, pushing the stool closer to him. "Yeah. Sit, sit. You don't look so good. You okay, Hanamura?"</p><p>"He doesn't really look okay," Kazuki says softly. "It's a long way off. Waka's not even seventeen yet, y'know?"</p><p>"Yeah! Oyassan's probably only gonna start getting on his case about it when he's twenty-six or so. And it's not like Waka's dating anyone serious." Yoshikawa laughs. "Not like Waka-chan dates anyone at all. Waka doesn't <em>do </em>dating."</p><p>Kazuki frowns a little at him.</p><p>Yosuke sits down, words ringing through his head like alarm bells.</p><p>
  <em>...not dating anyone serious.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>...doesn't do dating.</em>
</p><p>"Sorry, I..." Yosuke laughs a little, without mirth. "I think I threw away my life for nothing."</p><p>
  <em>Yours, yours...</em>
</p><p>He puts his elbows on his knees, hands in his hair, staring down between his legs. Teddie pokes his head out of the room, giving Yosuke a worried look.</p><p>Kazuki and Yoshikawa stare at each other for a long moment. They look up as Teddie appears, and then look back at Yosuke.</p><p>"Uh... I don't follow," Yoshikawa says quietly.</p><p>"Um, I think..." Kazuki begins. "I think it's complicated, isn't it, Hanamura?"</p><p>Yosuke nods, numb. "Yes. It's... it's complicated." He wants to scream.</p><p>"Yosuke?" Teddie says, quietly.</p><p>"I—he..." Yosuke knows he might start crying at any moment, and then what? In front of these guys, who see him as a man? What then?</p><p>"Waka has to get married, when he's older," Yosuke says quietly. "He doesn't date seriously, anyway."</p><p>Teddie's eyes widen. "Seta-bocchan? But..." He looks at the two others, then back at Yosuke, mouth moving, no words. Then, "But you said..."</p><p>"I know what I said," Yosuke whispers, hands fisting in his hair. He knows what Souji said, too. Was it all a lie...?</p><p>Kazuki and Yoshikawa look at each other, decidedly uncomfortable.</p><p>"I mean, he's never dated seriously<em> yet!</em>" Yoshikawa offers quickly, a tense laugh. "First time for everything! Aha!"</p><p>Kazuki is less quick to react. "Um, this is different from before, Hanamura," he says quietly. "Waka's never brought anyone home before. ...Unless they're already here."</p><p>Yosuke drags himself back into a normal sitting position, eyes wide, distant. "I'm sorry. I just—it's been a long... day? I guess? And night, and week, and..." He laughs a little, again. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to... break down in front of you guys."</p><p>Teddie emerges fully, putting a hand on Yosuke's shoulder. "Hey, you're special, Yosuke," he says with a smile. "Bocchan doesn't bring people home! That has to count for something, right?"</p><p>Yosuke tilts his head a little. "I'm not a candidate for political marriage, though. He's known that the whole time."</p><p>Teddie gives Yosuke a pitying look. Then, "Um, maybe you should come rest, Yosuke."</p><p>A little nod. "Y-yeah."</p><p>Kazuki and Yoshikawa exchange another look.</p><p>"No one can speak for Waka but himself," Yoshikawa finally says quietly. "So, uh, you should prolly talk to him, or whatever."</p><p>"Yeah," Kazuki says, glancing down the hall. "Waka's not the type to––"</p><p>Both he and Yoshikawa look up at something unheard, and a few seconds later a door opens. Another man, also sunglasses and suit and slicked hair, appears.</p><p>"Oh, hey, gang's all here," says the new man with a lazy grin. "This Hanamura?"</p><p>Kazuki nods, and Yoshikawa nods a second later.</p><p>"Cool. Waka's lookin' for him. I'll walk him over, yeah?"</p><p>"...Okay," Yosuke says, heart pounding. He stands quickly, a little stiffly, then looks from Yoshikawa to Kazuki, before smiling. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Thanks for talking with me, guys. It was nice to meet you."</p><p>A little tilt of his head, and he walks towards the new man, eyes down.</p><p>Teddie watches him go with a distressed expression. Then, softly, "You know, you don't know how much you love someone until you murder for them. Hope he'll be okay."</p><p>Kazuki and Yoshikawa nod sagely. He's right.</p><p>The new man gives them all a little salute, then leads Yosuke away. He doesn't try to make conversation, whistling something off tune to himself as they walk. He has a gun tucked in a shoulder holster that creaks a little as he walks.</p><p>It's not the usual way, but another path, opening one identical side door to reveal a long and simple kitchen, crossing it, and leaving through another door to another identical hall. From there, a door to another corridor, and then another, and finally that hallway which faces the green of the interior courtyard. "Fourth door," he says to Yosuke, before sitting on a stool tucked at the end of the hall, pulling out his phone.</p><p>Yosuke takes a deep breath, then heads for the door, putting a hand on it and just staying there for a moment. What is he going to say? What is he going to do? Can Souji change things, or is he fated to be married off, just like Satoru before him? Souji's mother's family had put a stop to Satoru and Uncle. So what of him and Souji...?</p><p>He carefully pushes the door open, just loud enough to be heard.</p><p>Souji is seated at the low table, a spread of food in front of him, in yukata. He looks up as the door opens, and his hard expression fades to something softer, at least around the eyes. He waves Yosuke in, waves him closer, and keeps eating.</p><p>Yosuke's heart does doubletime when he sees Souji, but he manages to hold it back, nodding a little before stepping in and closing the door. He's still in Souji's borrowed clothes, and he suddenly feels foreign in them. The real question isn't if Souji can change things; it's if he <em>wants </em>to.</p><p>What if Yosuke really is just a toy?</p><p>He slowly walks over, sitting down close to Souji, silent. He wanted to be a toy. He wouldn't have minded if Souji told him, after the first time they had sex, that he was going to be married off.</p><p>Things are different now. They love each other. Don't they?</p><p>He stares at the food, appetite entirely gone.</p><p>Souji is comfortable with the quiet, but he isn't sure Yosuke is. He's usually chattier than this, usually brighter. But it has been an insane fucking series of days.</p><p>"You should eat," Souji says quietly as he peels the flesh off the side of a whole grilled fish with his chopsticks. He divides it easily, and holds it up for him to eat.</p><p>Oh... that's so soft. Yosuke smiles a little, opening his mouth and eating the fish off of Souji's chopsticks. He's so sweet... All that stuff can't mean they're nothing. Can it? Yosuke gave up everything he knew for this, but this is real. Isn't it?</p><p>"Souji," he says softly, looking down again. "I was... talking to um, some of the others." That's sure to grab his attention, so Yosuke just spits it out:</p><p>"Are you going to get married, when you're older?"</p><p>Souji hums as he begins to talk, encouraging him to continue—  </p><p>Until Yosuke says that. Souji stills, and then reaches for his tea to fill the silence for a moment, a long draught, wishing it were sake.</p><p>"...You were talking to some of the others about me getting married?" he asks, staring down into his empty teacup.</p><p>"Well, not exactly," Yosuke says, twisting his fingers together. "They wanted to know what was going on. I didn't know what I could say, so... I didn't say much... but I think they got the impression that we were involved, at least. You know how easily I go red..."</p><p>He feels all at once like maybe he's done something wrong. He ducks his head. "It just... came up, that us sleeping together wasn't a problem for the family. So I asked what was, and Yoshikawa said... once you got married."</p><p>Souji hums again, as if this is a normal conversation they are having about literally anything else.</p><p>"I see." He puts the teacup down, and tears off another piece of fish to offer to Yosuke.</p><p>Yosuke looks up nervously. Souji is still feeding him...? He takes the offered fish, and it tastes like nothing because he's so goddamned anxious. Is Souji mad? Will he assure Yosuke that's not the case, or...?</p><p>His hands are shaking, so he folds them in his lap, and waits.</p><p>Yosuke isn't talking, and somehow Souji thinks that's a bad sign. He puts down his chopsticks and wipes his mouth on the cloth napkin, before putting it aside.</p><p>"There is too much that you don't yet know for me to begin to explain why asking me if I'm going to marry is irrelevant." It isn't said cruelly, but as a statement of fact. "Because you're not asking me if I'm going to marry. You're asking me what future I see for us. Isn't that it?"</p><p>Yosuke flinches. Said like that, it sounds so stupid. Of course they don't have a future together, why would they? He's just a plaything, isn't he?</p><p>"I'm sorry," he says quietly, looking down. "It... it's not really my business, is it?"</p><p>Souji goes a little more still, a little more quiet.</p><p>For a long moment he says nothing, merely staring down at the tray of food, jaw clenched, breathing slow and even but manual.</p><p>"...Isn't it?" he whispers.</p><p>Yosuke dares to look up again, sees the muscles in Souji's jaw, and looks down. "It's... it's yours," he murmurs. "You're... you're the heir. I'm just... I'm..."</p><p>Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.</p><p>"I don't know anything, about any of this. A-and, Yoshikawa said you never date seriously, so... I should be grateful for what we have, right? I mean, you said you love me, a-and I love you too, so..."</p><p>He's rambling. He's so nervous.</p><p>Souji raises a hand to press between his brows, a little flicker of irritation across his face. "What <em>else </em>did Yoshikawa say?" he asks. "In entirety, please."</p><p>Yosuke shrinks. "Um... he was really nice, mostly... I-I don't think he was trying to upset me. He just... I mean, they all know that... you take things very seriously, around here, a-and you don't bring people home, and... and you don't date."</p><p>Souji feels Yosuke recoil from him and it <em>hurts</em>. Yosuke is <em>afraid of him.</em></p><p>Or just afraid in general. After everything that happened, how can Souji blame him? He bites back a sigh, and forces his shoulders to relax, ignoring the pain in his back at the movement.</p><p>"I don't date, no. I don't bring people home. At this point, I couldn't, could I?" he says, a little sharp bitterness in his voice, but Yosuke doesn't even know that he's supposed to be housebound to the fucking compound.</p><p>Because they don't talk, do they? They only fuck and then hold each other and...</p><p>"I have no intention of getting married, no."</p><p>Yosuke hears the bitterness, and wonders... is it because of him? Is he the reason Souji can't bring anyone home now? Because he'll cry and make a fuss?</p><p>But Souji doesn't intend to get married. Is that good? It should be, right? That means...</p><p>...but is he frustrated with Yosuke? Does he feel tied down?</p><p>His head is spinning.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he murmurs, head ducked. "I'm sorry, I... I just..." Why did he ask? Why didn't he just accept Souji feeding him as a gentleness and enjoy it?</p><p>"...I just love you so much," he whispers.</p><p>Souji turns to look at him, his expression soft in its hurt. "I love you," he says softly, each word heavy with intention. "The rest of this doesn't matter. Don't listen to them. They don't know what they're talking about." He turns, a knee up beneath him, to take Yosuke’s hands and look into his eyes.</p><p>"I only want you," he says. How can he express this? "I love you. You're what matters. The rest is just..." He shakes his head. "Irrelevant."</p><p>Yosuke looks at Souji with wide, wet eyes, hands limp in Souji's. It's exactly what he wanted to hear, but for a moment, all he can do is digest it.</p><p>Then he smiles, and starts to cry.</p><p>"<em>Souji</em>," he breathes, a little sob. "I—I love you s-so mu-uch... I was s-so scared... I, I want to be with you for-forever...!" He pulls their hands up, hiding his face against Souji's knuckles. "I'm s-sorryyyy... It's be-en such a long w-week, and... I was s-so scared...!"</p><p>Souji pulls him by the hands into a hug, mindful of his back, a soft sound, regret. "I'm sorry," he says softly. "It's not your fault. I don't tell them things for a reason, but then they don't know and they say things and..."</p><p>It doesn't matter, not really. But this fear: of course Yosuke is afraid that he'll be cast aside. After everything that's happened, he needs to feel secure in these things, like he has a place and a home here. He needs to feel like he belongs here, with Souji.</p><p>And everything else that detracts from that is just frustration and irrelevancy.</p><p>...Souji's going to kick Yoshikawa's ass for this, that's for certain.</p><p>Yosuke sinks into Souji, face against his shoulder, clinging, mindful of his back as well. He feels so stupid, and so pathetic, but more than anything—so loved. Souji is perfect. More than perfect! He's Yosuke's whole world.</p><p>"I, I almost started cr-crying in front of them," he sobs, laughing at the same time. "These poor... poor guys, they had n-no idea what was wrong with me..." He kisses Souji's shoulder, then his neck, nuzzling into the space between his jaw and the collar of his yukata. "I, I won't question it ever again, I pr-promise! If, if you marry anyone, it'll be—it'll be me."</p><p>He kisses Souji's neck again. "It's okay if th-that's not possible though. As long as we're... partners." A sniff. "And I'm yours, a-and you're mine. That's all that matters."</p><p>Souji hangs onto the back of Yosuke's neck and says nothing. He'd meant what he'd said before: there is too much that Yosuke doesn't know yet. Too much of the structure of the family, too much on where Souji wants Yosuke to be, too much on what the future will look like. So it doesn't matter to even discuss these things, like marriage and partnership and the rest.</p><p>"You're exhausted," he says instead. "You need to eat, and we both need to sleep."</p><p>Yosuke would have happily had sex if Souji asked, but if he'd rather sleep, that's okay too. "I've been napping all day," he sniffles, "but I'd like to... to lay with you. I missed you." He feels like that will be a constant, most days: missing Souji. But they'll get little moments like this.</p><p>So he pulls back, and wipes his eyes on his sleeves, and gives Souji a beaming smile before picking up some chopsticks and beginning to eat. Suddenly, he's ravenous.</p><p>"God, your cooks are amazing," he says through a mouthful of food.</p><p>"They are," Souji says softly. He rests a hand on Yosuke's thigh.</p><p>He's lost his appetite, and there's a low misery under his skin. Yosuke needs his support, obviously. But Souji doesn't know if he's enough.</p><p>If everything he says can just be turned around by the idiot brothers running their stupid fucking mouths, then what use is there in speaking at all? But he can't start thinking like that.</p><p>If only Yosuke could reassure Souji. He just wants to know things; secrets frighten him, for a variety of reasons, and they need to talk, need to work through things.</p><p>God, they're only sixteen, though. So much to learn, not only about each other, but about the world.</p><p>"I need to talk to Teddie," Souji says after a while of just letting Yosuke eat. "I don't know him. I don't know where to place him, or if he'd even agree to join."</p><p>"He'd be glad to talk to you," Yosuke says, swallowing down his food. "As for joining... me and mom are the only family he has left. He'll stay with me." Another bite, and Yosuke hums. "Mom is probably losing her fucking mind, huh? I wonder where my phone got to."</p><p>"Your phone was confiscated," Souji says, nonchalant, reaching for a remaining pickle. "I'm getting you a new one. It should be delivered in the morning."</p><p>Yosuke snorts, somehow unsurprised. "Okay. That's fair." He puts his chopsticks down, licks his lips, then wipes his eyes again. "I hope my mom will be okay."</p><p>Chie's a lost cause now, though, but he supposes that's fine. She'll move on.</p><p>"I guess you get schooled here, huh?" Yosuke says, a sudden change of topic. "I'm warning you, my academic abilities are, to put it lightly,<em> fucking garbage.</em>"</p><p>Souji takes another pickle. "Your mother has left the city to go visit family out of town. You can talk to her once your phone arrives."</p><p>He glances at him then. "You'll have your own course of study. If... you're still up for this."</p><p>Yosuke gives Souji a wide-eyed look. "What? Dude, of course." He laughs a little, then glances away, shyly. "Um... I mean, if I have you, then... I can do this. I don't wanna go back to... everything else."</p><p>Setting his hands on his knees and drumming his fingers, Yosuke tries to look confident in his own words. "Yoshikawa might have spooked me, but... you know, he was nice. Kazuki was especially nice. Even Tanaka was nice! And I love you, so much it makes my heart feel like exploding."</p><p>He looks back at Souji. "People aren't nice to me, Souji. I have like, one friend outside of Teddie, and I'm not even her closest friend. I'm not smart, I've got like, two talents, and they're worthless—" Yosuke sighs. "My point is... I won't be happy out there. I won't have family and I won't have friends."</p><p>He looks down at his hands. "I... I wanna be here. I want to do what I can. I wanna be someone you're proud of."</p><p>Souji nods slowly, and squeezes his thigh, a little overwhelmed.</p><p>There's so much for Yosuke to learn. Is it even possible for him to learn it all, not having been raised in it?</p><p>"...Let me know when you want to start," he says quietly.</p><p>Yosuke smiles over at him. "Whenever works best for you. I... I'll do my best to be ready." He reaches up, rubbing his nose and winking. "I'm a little delinquent, remember? I'm sure I'll be right at home."</p><p>That's not reassuring! Delinquents follow their own law; this is something <em>else</em>.</p><p>"I suppose... tomorrow I can have you sit down with one of the older brothers and go over the structure of things. If you're eager to start."</p><p>"Eager as I'll ever be." Yosuke is trying, he really is. He just wants to be good for Souji—and make up for doubting his love. "That sounds doable, in any case. I'll make sure to pay attention."</p><p>He looks down again. "So... how often will I be able to see you?"</p><p>Souji glances over at him again, stealing the last pickle for himself.</p><p>"Every night, if you want it." He smiles a little, leaning back. "It's kind of a lazy life, to be honest. You're going to be baby of the family, so they'll probably tease you and make you do stupid chores but... For the most part, since it's a time of peace, there's not a lot that needs to be done."</p><p>His smile turns crooked. "We really are a chivalrous organization, you know."</p><p>Yosuke laughs, genuinely happy. "Yeah! I'll bet!" He smiles at Souji, warm and full of love. "I wanna see you as much as I possibly can. You're my whole world, you know?" He blushes, then, glances away. "I know that's a little extreme, but... what can I say?" A shrug. "I'm hooked."</p><p>Souji can't even argue, because he feels the same way.</p><p>"My days will be decidedly more busy than yours," he says softly. He shifts a little, twisting the chair sideways so he can sprawl backwards on the tatami. "But I want to see you as much as I can."</p><p>And, if Yosuke proves to be as capable as Souji thinks he will, then there's no reason why they can't spend more time together.</p><p>"Then let's make a plan of it," Yosuke says, grinning. "When I have my new phone, text me whenever you're free and I'll be there. Or, here, I guess."</p><p>He scoots closer, then leans over Souji, smiling devilishly down at him.</p><p>"Sure you wanna go right to sleep...?"</p><p>Souji looks up at him, a bolt of <em>want </em>through him at that look on Yosuke's face.</p><p>"You need to learn the layout," Souji says quietly, watching him, eyes sharp with heat. "Right now you'll just get lost."</p><p>"Teach me some other time," Yosuke says, cocking his head, face framed by fiery orange. "Or have one of the... brothers, was it? Have one of them show me around."</p><p>He reaches out, very gently gathering the material of Souji's yukata by his throat into one hand. "Right now... I want one of us to be screaming. Based on our history, I'd say I'm the likely candidate." A playful wink. "Maybe I'll drag some sound out of you someday, though."</p><p>Souji snorts. "I don't scream, but thank you. I wish you luck in your endeavors."</p><p>He reaches up to catch Yosuke's hand in his, just a press of his hand over his, slotting their fingers together.</p><p>"But if you're so intent on being vocal, I'm sure I can figure out something for you to scream about."</p><p>"Well, maybe not <em>screaming</em>," Yosuke says, a playful roll of his eyes, "but I'm sure I can at least get a little begging, if I edge you enough." He's bluffing out his ass; he doesn't think he has the will or fortitude to get anything but grunts and gasps out of Souji. Nice to pretend, though.</p><p>"But... yeah, I'd love to have a reason to be screaming," he says casually, before the devilish look comes back, and he tightens his grip on the yukata and Souji's fingers. "I've never come so often, or so hard, or so fast by myself, you know that? And I've tried, oh, believe me. There's something about the way you do things..."</p><p>Souji grins, shifting a little, ignoring wholly the burning this position has on his back. "Something about the way I do things, hm?" he repeats, softly.</p><p>But that, what he's said...</p><p>"I'm fine with whatever. If you think you can make me beg without begging yourself, that is."</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" Yosuke raises an eyebrow, leaning further over Souji, closer to him, a positively mischievous expression on his face.</p><p>"What I mean is that by the time you're halfway to making me even consider begging, you," Souji reaches up and strokes his cheek, thoroughly amused, "will be so out of your mind with want that you'll be begging me to fuck you and will have lost the plot entirely."</p><p>He really does just want to fuck him to tears...</p><p>Yosuke goes a little red. "H-hey! I can... I can be dominant!" (No, he can't.) "...but if you want me begging, I guess that's fine." (It's what he wants more than anything.)</p><p>He pouts, looking away, grip on Souji's yukata relaxing. Then he peeks at the other out of the corner of his eye. "...I've caused you a lotta trouble, though, huh?" A slow smile. "Maybe, before anything else, you should... <em>punish </em>me for being such a reckless little delinquent."</p><p>Souji watches his face. Really? That's something he wants? After all this?</p><p>"You have been rather troublesome..." he says softly. "Very reckless."</p><p>Yosuke's eyelids drop low, and he turns fully back to Souji with a cat-like smile. "Haven't I? Don't you just want to... teach me a lesson?"</p><p>His father taught him a lesson, a very bad one. Yosuke feels like... if he can re-associate that kind of treatment... it'll be better. Take it where he can control it, at least a little bit. If he screamed for Souji to stop, he would, wouldn't he?</p><p>"Teach me so good, I'll be walking funny in front of my tutor tomorrow," he purrs.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH</p><p>sorry for the late posting i'm just... i had this ready forever ago and just never posted it!!! i guess!!!</p><p>the rp is on hiatus but you guys won't be caught up with how far we got for a few chapters, so dw about it</p><p>if you're enjoying it, please comment and leave kudos, it means the world to us!</p>
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